Untitled
by Kai Hatake
Summary: Sasuke over stays in Konaha, while he's there can Kakashi's brothers daughter Kai, make him stay and live the life of a person not full of hate and anavenger. Take it from Shakespeare the best stories are always tragedies. But who will it be a tragedy for
1. You Too

UNTITLED

The whole week she seamed to be off beat more morose and detached than others. "You noticed that too?" asked Naruto directing his question to Sasuke. "Might be Kakashi's absence" he suggested. "She's gone years with out seeing him, one week wouldn't cause that" said Sasuke pointing at Kai sitting under a secluded tree with her head on her knees and her arms wrapped around her legs. "Loneliness can creep up on you, out of nowhere, consume you from the inside out" added Naruto knowing Sasuke would understand. The only person who didn't understand completely what that felt like was Sakura, who sat between Sasuke and Naruto. "Should I go talk to her?" interrupted Sakura "No, I think its best we let her think things through, whatever they may be" stated Sasuke blankly getting up and walking away. Naruto and Sakura sat together watching Sasuke walk by Kai.

"Sasuke" she sadly said in a low voice, lifting her head. Sasuke quickly stopped and looked down at the balled up girl. He didn't respond but simply looked down at her. "Do you know when Kakashi will be back?" her voice quivered as the words slipped out. "Next week if he's early" coldly flowed the words. He thought she was a fan girl because she was always around him but so was the rest of the squad. Yet Kai had no interest of that kind in him. "Oh" her head lowered once more and her gaze fell to the floor. He took tow steps when he realized he couldn't just leave her there, wallowing in her sadness. He figured "what fan girl wouldn't like to get some food with me? She is a teammate after all." He turned around to face her "Kai" her eyes slowly looked up "I'm going to get something to eat, do you want to come?" he asked not putting any interest in the question.

Sakura and Naruto watched in amazement as Sasuke talked to Kai. "Didn't _he_ say to let her be and think it out?" asked Sakura anger growing with in her. "Yeah, but maybe it's best for her to talk to someone even if it is Sasuke." Naruto's eyebrow raised as he saw Sasuke take Kai's arm pull her up and if not drag her to where ever her was going. It seamed to Sakura that everyone was concerned about Kai, but to her the was nothing to be concerned about.

"No" her answer was as bleak as possible, her outgoing personality seamed to be disappearing with the coming of the days. Sasuke was surprised be her answer, he was sure she would say yes. Not long from his rejection did he get an overwhelming feeling of compassion, sympathy, and pity. He reached down and took hold of her hand. Her head turned up as he pulled her up. She was rather light and easy to hold up. "What are you doing?" she asked with surprise in her voice. He didn't answer but forced her to walk by pulling her arm behind him. A couple of steps away from the tree he wrapped his arm around her waist and said "you're accompanying me to lunch." This time it was her who was speechless. They continued walking his arm around her waist until they reached the ramen shop. "Sit" he ordered with a blank look. She did as she was told, just trying to the day done with.

"His arm is around her waist" pointed out Sakura but Naruto had already walked away. "I knew she was no good to have around here, and just when me and him where starting to get close" sighed Sakura getting up herself. In her team she had always been the one others worried for, she was the helpless one who didn't know how to defend her self until recently. But now the tables had turned, Kai was stronger than her by far, she had more skills and power, yet she was the one others were concerned for. "Maybe I can crash them and interrupt their… what ever it is." She walked in the direction she watched them go. It wasn't long before she spotted them at the ramen shop. Sasuke was looking down at her with a smile. Even though they were sitting he was a good two-three inches above her. She was looking back at him with a slightly irritated simile.

"What are you having?" asked the man behind the counter. "Depends who's paying?" replied Sasuke looking at Kai with a smile. She looked up at him with an ironic smile hinting that he was going to be the one paying. "Hey guys" came an unfortunate voice to Sasuke's ear. "Sakura?" asked Sasuke irritated by her presence. "Mind if I join?" she asked, Kai was quick to answer "No… you can join Sasuke, I had to get going any how" her voice got lower once more. Her movements were slow as she climbed off the chair. Sasuke and Sakura watched her walk away. "Just me and you" smiled Sakura. "Maybe another day, I'll grab something at home, see your around" his voice sounded annoyed but Sakura refuse to accept his rejection. "He's busy" she said to her self sitting at the ramen shop alone.

She sighed in relief; she didn't really want to be with anybody. Today was the day that her parents had past away. The only person she had known since then was Kakashi and he was no where near the Village. She walked to the little stream she remembered spending time with her parents at. Her head was buried in her knees; her arms around her legs, hiding the tears the flowed form her eyes. They were abundant; she could taste their salty flavor as they went over her lips. Why had it been her parents sent on the mission and gotten killed.

"Maybe I was wrong about her" thought Sasuke standing on his porch. "Or is it just her depressed attitude" he couldn't put his finger on it but there was something he liked in her. He wasn't sure if it was recent of if he had just grown fond of her.

Naruto was back at his house as well "Sasuke and Kai, sounds weird, but like it belongs. Like it was always there" announced Naruto to the empty house. Would it be because when one of their names was called the other was sure to follow? "Sasuke and Kai you're searching the West side" Naruto repeated Kakashi's words. "Kai, Sasuke…, Sasuke, Kai" repeated once more Naruto. "Maybe with Sasuke out of the picture with Kai, Sakura will have time for me" he stood in joy, his plan seamed full proof.

"Why her?" Sakura talked to herself as she walked through Konaha. "She comes and shows up out of nowhere, Kakashi starts paring her off with Sasuke, and he falls for her, if only Kakashi pared _me_ with him." Sakura's anger grew with in.

It was getting late the sun wasn't far form setting. Yet, she still sat there wallowing in her sorrow and tears. She had spent all afternoon down by the stream, playing memories of her and her parents over and over in her mind. "If only it wasn't them…" she kept sobbing. There was alight drizzle falling form the sky, almost accompanying her tears.

Sasuke walked to Kai's house in hopes of finding her there. Her house was empty; no one home, the door was still locked. "Kai" he yelled knocking on the door, he was now walking though the Village looking her. It was strange to him that he was worried about her, he had never really felt worry for anyone. He went as far as the outskirts of the town. He was walking a dirt path through the forest when he heard a faint "If only it wasn't theme…" followed by mournful sobs.

"Kai?" he whispered looking at her drown in her mournful tears. She didn't seam to hear him, nor did she want to, she just wanted all the pain to come out. He didn't know what to do or say. All he could feel was a wave of pity crash against him. The rain was getting harder; she sat there continuing to sob in pain. Sasuke froze, stood there watching her, under the freezing rain.

The moon was now out, the heavy rain continued, but Sasuke and Kai where still in the forest under the rain. He watched her continuing to cry hour after hour. He hadn't moved since he had gotten there. She hadn't stopped crying since she left Sasuke and Sakura at the ramen shop. He took a step near her, and slowly continued to her close, as if she were a frightened animal that was going to run away.

The rain dripped of his nose as his face came near hers. She didn't react but simply kept crying. He watched as the rain mixed with her tears and flowed down over her lips. "You can't stay here" he announced his body kneeled next to hers. "Why?" she managed to mumble. "It's freezing and raining" he came closer to her. "Why them? Why?" she repeated. Sasuke had no idea what she was talking about but he knew he was getting out of the rain and she was coming with him.

She unwrapped her arms, laid on the ground her knees up against her chest, her arms under her head. "Kai" he yelled at her under the rain. She didn't answer she just wanted to be alone. "Just go" she whispered her tears getting lighter. "I'm not, until you come with me" "Where? The only place I need to be is here" she was stubborn beyond belief. He didn't know what to say, he didn't know why she was crying. He kneeled next to her for a while before he spoke again "Why do you cry?" his voice was down to a whisper. Then it stuck him, she had never been with other adults besides Kakashi and he didn't have any children, Kakashi has always been the one caring for her beyond the care of a sensei. "Your parents, they're gone" his voice was low and frail; he laid next to her looking up at the sky.

"Four" three years before Sasuke had lost his. She wasn't facing him; her head was turned in the opposite direction. But his head was facing hers, now he wasn't the only one, Naruto had no parents either nut he didn't know what it was like to have parents to be loved. She did, like him, had parents and though unfortunate events had lost them. He has so longed wished that he could let out his pain and frustration like she was. Ni he couldn't he wouldn't, he wasn't going to let his weakness come out. He wasn't going to tell her his life story, sure enough she probably knew it or so he thought.

They laid on the moist floor under the freezing rain, but no longer did the rain feel cold, no longer did her heart beat with pain. All she wanted now was sleep; Sasuke's presence had faded from her mind, her eyes slowly closed as she dreamt of a better yesterday. It was a while since Sasuke realized how long they had been out there. He sat up slowly leaning towards Kai her eyes where closed "Kai?" he lightly spoke. The early morning was quiet, all that could be heard where the droops of the water hitting the puddles that had formed on the ground.

Sasuke picked her up in his arms; he looked down at her face buried in his chest. His mind was black.

They were both soaked head to toes. Sasuke instinctively walked to his house. He gently threw her over his shoulder; all that came from her was a small groan. He unlocked his door, walked up the steps and laid her on his bed. He took out an old shirt, turned to Kai "put this on your soaked." She surprisingly sat up, undresses in front of him, and threw the old shirt on. She laid back down on the bed, placed her head on the pillow, closed her eyes and drifted to sleep.

The sun wasn't up yet, it wouldn't be for a couple hours. He took a change of cloths and walked out the room after placing the covers over Kai.

He was sleeping on the couch when a loud knock woke him. The sun was out and bright "what time is it?" asked Sasuke squinting his eyes towards the sun. "8:40" answered Naruto with Sakura behind. "We have training to do with Yamato today" announced Sakura steeping in front of Naruto. Sasuke stepped away from the door allowing them to come in. "Did you sleep on the couch?" asked Sakura moving the blankets so she could sit. "Yeah" Sasuke's voice was tired and his body wasn't hiding it. "Well I'll go get Kai while you get ready." Sasuke sat on the couch opposite Sakura and said "don't worry" he sighed "she's in the room" his hand pointed to the shut white door.

The sun was shining through the window exposing the beautiful early morning. Kai stretched her arms out, then quickly tucked them under the covers again. Her eyes didn't open she was still sleepy. It seamed as though she didn't realize she was in Sasuke's house, on his bed. The whole night before was a blur to her.

"She is?" Sakura stood form the couch in surprise. Sasuke merely shook his head relaxing his body on the couch. Naruto was speechless; he didn't really know what to say but "Why?" The room was full of tension, tension that wasn't needed. "She spent the night" not really night but early morning. As he spoke not a muscle in his body withdrew from relaxation. Detail, why did she spend the night? For what reason? Is what they wanted to know. Trying to droop the subject he asked "so when are we to be at the training grounds?" "Nine" quickly answered Sakura walking to the door. It was now 8:53 "you guys get going we'll see you there" Sasuke remained on the couch. Surprised by his relaxed manner they quickly walked out take aback of what had just happened.

Naruto and Sakura walked with a steady pace "she spent the night" repeated Sakura "how, why, why would Sasuke do that?" Sakura was now hysterical with anger. Naruto, on the other hand, had warmed up to the situation and didn't care much for it. "You don't even know why Sakura and you're already upset" he walked closer to her trying to comfort her. "But …" she got interrupted "we'll ask them at lunch, then it will all be explained" Naruto's arm was on her shoulder and she wasn't hitting him, maybe Sasuke and Kai _was_ a good thing after all. It was exactly nine when they reached the training grounds. "Where are Sasuke and Kai?"

His body was heavy with lack of sleep yet he still stood and walked over to the closed door. "Kai?" he knocked on the door, there was no response for a couple seconds.

Scared by Sasuke's voice Kai rolled over and fell to the floor. She let out a scream of shock as she hit the floor the blankets still wrapped around her.

Sasuke pushed the door open to see Kai on the floor. She looked up at him in amazement. Her hair was slightly curled, her eyes bright against her dark hair, her lips rosier than before. "Your hair" he muttered, Kai sat on the floor pulling her hair forward twirling her fingers through it. "What? Does it look bad? Tell me" she continued disregarding the fact that she wasn't in her own house. "No, just curly" he had never seen her with curly hair, or any one for that fact. "Oh" she stood walking to the mirror on the dresser "I haven't seen my hair like this since my… a while ago" she corrected. Sasuke stood in the door way looking at her, her hair long down to her waist.


	2. Get to know you

CHAPTER 2

"Nine! Its already past nine" Kai yelled while she and Sasuke walked to her house she opened the door allowing Sasuke to see in. "This is your house?" he asked in awe, he hadn't seen a house that nice since he last saw the old Uchiha manner. "Yeah, I won't be long just fifteen minuets" she walked into a dark room illuminating it as she flicked on the light. "Don't do anything with your hair and it won't take long" he shouted walking around the house.

She scattered through her drawers looking for her training cloths. She had always worn the same cloths to train but it was never easy for her to find them. Her short midnight blue shorts with fishnets under, down to her knees, a lose fishnet shirt split down the middle with a black tank underneath. Kai tied her weapon bag around her left thigh. "Its nine thirty" he shouted behind the door of the room. Kai walked out tying her head band around her arm "we should get going then" she grabbed an apple from the table walking out the door.

"Hey Curly and Frowney! You're forty five minutes late" stated Yamato making fun of them. "There was a crowd and…, and its Kakashi's fault" Kai dropped her head. "Apparently, because forty five minutes I think that might even be a record for him." "Hun" was all Sasuke said pulling out his sword. "Naruto, Sakura you're team one, Sasuke and Kai you're team two. You attack each other but have your partner to watch your back" Kai, who was standing next to Sakura walked slowly towards Sasuke. He watched her every step as she approached him.

"Kai" shouted a voce from across the field. Kai turned around and saw a faint figure that looked like Kakashi. A swift wind brought him close. "Kai" he opened his arms to her "I'm sorry I wasn't here" Kai had her arms wrapped around him. "Sorry Yamato, can we have a minute? He nodded in return allowing them to go.

Yamato knew what was happening; he had been good friends with Kai's parents. "What's going on?" asked Naruto flopping on the ground "let it be" responded Sasuke retreating his sword. It seamed as though he was the only one that didn't know what was going on, he looked over at Sakura who looked as confused as he was. "At least I'm not the only one that has no idea what is going on" a smile came over his face.

Not far from there Kai and Kakashi appeared leaves falling to the ground. "I'm sorry" stated Kakashi holding tight to Kai, he could feel her tears dampen his shirt. "I don't mean to cry" she mumbled through the tears. She pulled from him her tears getting light. "I did enough of that yesterday" Kai wiped the tears of her face replacing them with a smile. Kakashi looked at her with confusion written all over his face. "I went down to the stream and it was down hill form then" Kakashi sat down gesturing her to sit "if it weren't for Sasuke I would have stayed there all night." His eyebrow rose in astonishment "Sasuke?' he asked, she nodded her smile disappearing. "I thought he saw you as a fan girl and highly disliked you" though Kakashi stretching his arm to her hair "you look like your mother."

"I really miss her and dad too" she began looking down. "I though you might, so I rummaged through my old things and managed to put this together for you." He pulled out a vintage looking necklace, dirty gold in color, and an old emerald stone in the middle. "It's a little old but I thought it would suit the purpose" he gently placed it in her palm. "Open it" he encouraged with a smile. It was a small oval lock-it; slowly she opened it to reveal a small photograph of her mother on one side and her father on the other. The pictures seamed to go together since there was a visible tear on the edge of both photographs. "Kakashi…" she was speechless "I couldn't own any material object more precious" suggesting how much she cared for him. She lightly placed it over her neck "thank you so much" she hugged him with joy. "Get back to training" he placed a hand on her head "I have to report to the Hokage."

Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura sat around waiting for Kai. "You're not one to be late, why the sudden change?" asked Yamato looking at Sasuke. "It was Kai" his attention was on an approaching figure. "Is that so, I guess the Hatake tardiness is generic _and_ contagious" announced Yamato loud enough for Kai to hear. A smile came over her face, her hand falling from the necklace she held. "Sorry" her voice was bright once more. "Go" yelled out Yamato initiating the training.

It was one of the hardest drills she had done, no one had held back. She fell to her knees in exhaustion "you surprise me Kai, I underestimated you" Naruto placed his hand on her head. "Just because I'm shorter than you doesn't mean you can treat me like a child" Kai reached up took hold of his hand and brought it around her waist. She reached up to his shoulder for support. Naruto looked down at her "you're that tired?" "I think so" she let her body droop "I think, I think I need medical treatment" she exaggerated with a smile.

Sakura looked at her with annoyance. "Come Sasuke we must take her to the hospital" Naruto's face lit up with joy. Sasuke slowly walked over with no expression, he threw her arm over his shoulder a smile came over his face while looking at Naruto. "What?" Kai looked at the grins on their faces. They began walking gaining speed as they went. Kai saw the approaching pond of water. She was gone, Sasuke and Naruto's arms held air. "I'm not that ignorant" she stated behind them "Carry me" Naruto flopped onto Kai. "Only to the ramen shop" she stated dragging him behind her his head on her shoulder and his hand on her waist. Naruto's feet created a cloud of dust behind the three "You coming Sakura?" yelled out Kai.

"She's back, great now we have two immature children on our team" thought Sakura as Naruto fell over Kai. "Oh yeah" answered Sakura her thoughts interrupted. She ran to catch up with them. As usual she walked next to Sasuke.

"You're paying" announced Kai directing her eyes at Naruto. "Why?" his voice got incredibly whinny. A big smile adorned her face, she suddenly stopped and let him drop "that's why" "fine" pouted Naruto once more putting his head on her shoulder and wrapping his arm around her waist. "You're like a lump of extra weight that I have to drag" Kai smiled at the sky. "You offered" "when?" "Uhm the other… hey come on" it was usual for them to argue over silly situations. "You two are so immature" stated Sasuke. Kai stopped in her tracks dropping Naruto once more. Sasuke stopped and looked back at her, his face was black as he watched Kai jump on Naruto's back. "Last one there pays" she yelled out as Naruto began to run. They were several feet in front to Sasuke and Sakura when she looked back and yelled "for all of us."

Sasuke sighed as he arrived Sakura shortly behind. Kai walked up to Sasuke and gestured for him to com to her level. He lowered his head next to hers "don't worry I got this, take it as a thank you" she whispered pulling away. Sasuke's face froze, he didn't need to be thanked "I'll pay" he shouted lifting his hand to dismiss all other offers. Kai turned to look at him with a frown "I thought we agreed _I_ was paying" she searched around for her money bag, her face grew with concern "as soon as I find my money…my money!" she remembered seeing it on her dresser before she and Sasuke left. "Hun, you don't even have money" Sasuke reached for his wallet also not to be found "neither do you" Kai pointed to him with a smile.

A voice came from behind them "I'll treat my team" Kakashi had his book in front of him, it had been a while since they had last seen him. Their faces lit up with joy "don't over do it" he said sitting between Sasuke and Kai. "One each" his eye turned to Naruto. They silently ate besides the few giggles that came from Naruto. Kai slammed her chop sticks on the counter "What is it Naruto?" his smile was huge. "I just imagined you watching the dishes for not having money." If there was anything Kai was know for it was her irrational, random, short fuse. She stood up and stormed off leaving behind half her bowl full. Kakashi sighed "Naruto she's a little sensitive right now" "a little?" questioned Naruto.

Walking through the village was a calming experience for Kai. In a way it made her feel like she was at home. "Stupid Naruto" she murmured under her breath. "You think so?" asked a boy of her age with a giant dog. Kai looked up to see Kiba standing in front of her. "He can be" she was kneeled down next to Akumaru kindly petting him. In return he licked her face as a 'hello' gesture. She giggled whipping his saliva of her cheek. "Hey Kiba" her arms were crossed trying to keep her anger. "Why the anger?" his eyes were fixed on her childish face. "Nothing really, Naruto just knows how to push my buttons" "who doesn't?" he rhetorically asked, Kai was an easy person to figure out. "I don't know" she sighed followed by her growling stomach, she smiled, red in her cheeks "I guess I'm still hungry" she announced as if it weren't obvious. "Then go back" came Shikamaru she turned to look at him with mournful eyes "I know, I know, why do the Nara always have to be right."

"She'll be back" stated Sasuke, no one seamed to disagree but Sakura who was sitting next to Sasuke. "How do you know?" Naruto peered over Kakashi and Sasuke "she didn't finish, not is she still hungry, but she's not one to waits food." Kakashi and Sasuke nodded in agreement.

Her stride got slower as she approached them. She held her head high, a few feet behind her team she stood silently. "Its still warm" Sasuke's head didn't even turn when he spoke the words. She didn't speak a word, she walked up to the counter took her bowl, turned around took a few steps and sat on the floor. Sasuke, Naruto, and Kakashi smiled with her child like actions.

Sakura turned her head "why don't you come sit over here?" she really didn't know what was going on. Sakura could see Kai's long curly hair bob back and forth as she shook her head. "Why?" "I am only here to eat because I am hungry, not to socialize" Kai didn't even turn to face her. "So if your not with us…" began Naruto "how are you going to pay?" ended Sasuke. If Sasuke and Naruto came together on anything it was taunting Kai.

Kai's body froze, thought a little, walked over to the shop and sat between Naruto and Kakashi. "Just this once you're right" she lifted her head as she spoke.

Kakashi has been silent the whole time they were there, the only thing going through his head was "she's doing a lot better." He placed one hand over Kai's head and the other over Sasuke's, they both pouted in disagreement "tomorrow, eight, training grounds" he spoke putting money on the counter. Not long from then Sakura stood up facing Kai, Sasuke, and Naruto. Before saying good bye it hit her like a ton on bricks "the reason they're so close is because…" she paused her thoughts to look at them " all three of them are orphans."

"Your leaving Sakura?" asked Kai dough fully "like you really want me to stay" she thought. "Yeah, I have a lot of work to do" she said with a smile. "Stay" Kai repeated "don't keep her occupied if she has things to take care off" Sasuke turned around to face her. Sakura's heart split in two as Sasuke spoke the words, she gave a faint smile "I'll see you around." As she walked away from the rest of her team she thought back to the time when she was the only girl on the team.

"I feel bad she never sticks around" Kai turned to Naruto then Sasuke.

"**If you read this story please leave a review, I'm walking blindly into it, I mean I like it but that's because its my story but what do you guys think?" ;D**


	3. Against You

CHAPTER 3

- Against You-

8:00am, Sakura stood in the middle of the training grounds. 8:37am, Naruto slowly walked up to Sakura, yawning before he sat on the floor. 8:58am Sasuke's image appeared not to far from Naruto and Sakura. 9:14am, Kai walks up to the rest of her squad a smile on her face. 9:20am "Took you long enough Kakashi" Sakura's face was full of irritation. He scratched the back of his head "I ran into some old friends, if not I would have been here at nine" every one sighed in annoyance. "You were here five minutes before him" Sasuke looked at Kai. She smiled blissfully "What can I say? Its not like you were on time either."

"We're switching up the teams a little bit" they were so accustomed to being Naruto and Sakura, Sasuke and Kai. "Naruto you and Sasuke, Kai you and Sakura" he paused and looked at them squinting his eye "but this time you're giving it your all, not to mention not only against each other but me too." Kai's eyes widened, she looked at Sasuke "but I don't know how Sakura works, I don't know her jutsus or techniques… I only know Sasuke's" she continued to look at him. "And that's why, you won't be able to be with the same person on _every_ mission, you need to learn to read your partner in a matter of minutes." Kai nodded in agreement, the only reason she knew Sasuke's techniques so well was because they had been paired with each other since she had arrived.

"Shh" Kai quieted Sakura "If they hear us they'll know where we are." Kai pulled out a kunai, she cleared an area on the ground "This is the basic layout of the grounds" she continued drawing on the soil. "So what the…" she turned quickly putting her hand over Sakura's mouth. A faint rustling noise came form behind; they waited impatiently to see what would come of it. They were surprised to see one of Naruto's shadow clones in from of them. "Duck" yelled Kai feeling Naruto's arm come close to her neck. Sakura disappeared into an abyss; it was now Kai and two Narutos. Kai threw a kunai up to a branch above him "ha ha" laughed Naruto coming closer. Strings came poring down at Naruto; the strings soon flowed with an electric charge. The shadow clone disappeared. "That was a good move, to bad it all went to a clone" Sasuke jumped in front of Kai. She was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Naruto on one side and Sasuke on the other.

Kai took a deep breath a smile came over her face, rapid moving threads came form the trees warping around Naruto and Sasuke. The clones both disappeared with the coming shock. "Dang" she stomped her foot "Sakura?" she yelled out walking out of the bushes. "Over here" she lowly whispered, Sakura was hoisted on a high branch. "Come down" Kai looked up at the height of the tree.

"It didn't work Sasuke" Naruto complained fist in the air. "Did you expect it too?" Sasuke asked knowingly annoying Naruto. "No, but I kind of thought it would" "Listen _I _know Kai, you know Sakura" "So?" Naruto wore a puzzled face. Sasuke sighed in annoyance "you know Sakura's weaknesses, I know Kai's" "Oh" Naruto's face lit up. Sasuke nodded his head in consensus. "Kai is a good offence attacker, long range; she doesn't have enough room to control her threads if it's short. She's never been one to worry about defense, for some absurd reason, she doesn't believe in it" Sasuke paused to make sure Naruto was listening. "Alright I got it, long range, no defense" "What about Sakura?" asked Sasuke in uncertainty that he would pay attention to his partner enough to know her moves. "Sakura, she's both long and short range, not exceeding at either, but not falling behind, her defense ands attacks are even, she's neutral in all areas there isn't anything I can think of that she excels or fails at. But she is no weakling that's for sure." "Would you be able to handle Kai?" asked Sasuke knowing he could manage Sakura.

"Why would Sasuke take on Sakura if he knows all of Kai's weaknesses down to the hand signs" thought Kakashi as he eavesdropped from above. "It makes no sense to me what goes through this kids' heads, I purposely put them against each other so they _would_ use each others weak points."

"Believe it! - But shouldn't you take on Kai since you know her best?" he was confused once more but his question was worth answering. "No, because she knows my weaknesses too, we'd be a dead match, this way we'll be sure to win." Naruto's eyes smiled with bliss as his moth spoke "I thought _The_ Great Sasuke _had _no weaknesses" Sasuke's arm had come around hitting Naruto straight in the head. "Stick to the task at hand" responded he stepping over a clear string "Watch out for Kai's strings, she sets up traps with pre-charged bolts." He turned to see Naruto shacking as the undercurrent of charge flowed through his body. He sighed throwing a kunai to divert the current. "Be more careful" Sasuke grunted as he watched Naruto pick himself up after the shacking was done and over with.

Kai leaned against a tree unraveling the threads on her kunai, she sighed in annoyance "knowing Sasuke he's going to do some reverse physiology attack." Sakura leaned in to listen "so he's going to attack me and Naruto is going to attack you" looking at Sakura with a straight face she replied "Yup, and don't expect him to go easy on you, he and Naruto are probably discussing our techniques right now" it was amazing how much and how well she really knew him. Sakura's face filled with determination "So we're going one-on-one?" "Nope" she pulled her hair up in a pony tail then let it fall to her shoulders "Naruto and Sasuke are well rounded on everything, my downfall I don't do defense." Sakura was confused she didn't know what crazy things were going through Curly's mind. "We'll work as a team I'll be the…" she got interrupted as Sakura finally cough on "You'll be the offence and I'll be the defense, that way it will be easier."

Things were getting boring when both teams decided to unanimously met in an open field. Of course it had been Kai and Naruto's eagerness that had brought them there.

Shadow clones Jutsu, hundreds of Narutos appeared heading straight for Kai. She quickly reached into her bag pulling out four kunai holding them until the right moment. They went up into the air letting thousands of strings drop, the lightning going through them was visible as they fell from the sky. They were all gone, the field was clear once again. She ran with a kunai without delay at Naruto, Sakura following behind. Before reaching him she disappeared, appearing behind Sasuke. Sakura punched Naruto, sending him back a couple feet drawing blood from his mouth.

Kai's kunai was stopped by his sword, she didn't expect him to block. She put a hand on his shoulder throwing him of guard, she ran toward Sakura. He looked back at her to see her doing her lightning hand seal.

Naruto stood dusting off with a smile; he looked over at Sasuke to see him on his knees holding his shoulder. Connected to him was a string with a thick electric current. He was struggling to move but he managed to pull the sting off. He looked back, Sakura and Kai were gone. "Damn" he yelled out "that was stronger than I thought" he stretched out his hand trying to feels his finger tips. "Tell me about it, I don't think I've ever been hit that hard by Sakura, they really aren't holding back' he pulled out a kunai as he helped Sasuke up. Was it their hit and run technique that had them beat, or were they just that strong? "Where'd they go?" asked Naruto holding his stance. "Up" whispered Sasuke still trying to recover form the stagger.

"They know where we are" Kai looked over at Sakura who was knocked out "What?" she looked behind her to see Kakashi coming at her. She managed to dodge his attack but she couldn't leave Sakura there. She was in the branch above Kakashi 'I wont be long now before he know where I am' she thought pulling out her threads. She slowly dropped them over Sakura. Kakashi came at her again, this time the kunai nearly sliced her cheek. Kai jumped on the branch next to her pulling Sakura behind her. "Wake up Sakura" Kai was frantically jumping form branch to branch trying to avoid Kakashi. "Shit" he appeared in front of her, she retreated back missing the branch behind her. She fell to the ground, Sakura shortly after.

Naruto busted out laughing as he saw Kai hit the ground. "Ha, ha, ha, ha she really is clumsy" Sasuke glared at him angrily "This is our chance" he rapidly ran charging towards her.

With _his_ short temper the only thing going through his head was getting her back for the earlier incident.

Kai rolled over her on her side rubbing her arm "That hurt" she murmured. She looked up to see Sasuke coming at her, her shoulder hurt and didn't want to move. She single handedly threw a handful of strings in the air allowing them to fall around her. They lit up her face as the current began to gush through them. Sasuke stopped short of her shield; he might no be able to get to her but his kunai would.

Three sharp looking kunai came her way. She was gone, but her strings where headed for him. Perceptibly he dodged them with ease missing the ones that were coming from above. He fell to the floor wrapped in vivid strings. "Alright, this isn't funny anymore, now you're going to get hurt" the strings dropped from his body like leaves from a tree. "Not like you could" her tone was as serious as his.

At this point Naruto stood over Sakura, who was now waking up, simply watching "This is going to get out of hand and fast" his voce echoed through the trees behind him. "There's no stooping it now" Kakashi appeared next to him "even if we really wanted to" he sighed knowing they were serious and one of them was going to end up in the hospital. "Should I go get help?" asked Naruto remembering all the other rimes she and Sasuke got into a "fight" threw his eyes it was more like a full out war between two people. "Probably" Kakashi didn't seam to concerned about the fact that most likely one of his students was going to be hospitalized.

As he charged towards her, he could feel parts of his body slightly tingle with numbness. It appeared Kai hurt her arm on the fall since everything she did was impaired by her holding her shoulder. She managed to pull a kunai in front of herself in order to prevent Sasuke's sword from hitting her dead on. He pulled it back quickly in the process slicing a deep cut into her arm. Sasuke watched her almost surprised at himself. He fell to the floor looking down at his leg; on it was a kunai, blue rays sprung around it. His body felt numb he couldn't move. Kai stood slowly holding her shoulder tightly, the same arm Sasuke had stricken. He watched as she slowly wrapped him in her strings, his face was black.

He screamed. The charge flowing through his entire body, knocking his nervous system off course. It was like no pain he had felt before.

She disappeared a couple feet away looking down at her arm. "Aw, this was my good are" she whined holding it tight. That only made the blood flow faster. "You think you're going to get rid of me that fast" his sword was against her neck. She began to breathe heavily; she was scared he would actually do it. He put her hands against the blade; it ever so slightly touched her palms.

"I guess I'm the better of the two" Sasuke bragged picking up Kai's unconscious body. He arrogantly walked over to Kakashi, Kai over is shoulder. "You took her out?" Kakashi put his arms out to carry Kai. "It wasn't hard just a swing with the sword handle" he looked at the blood stains on his shirt, he sighed in annoyance. Holding his head high he took a couple steps away from Kakashi then drooped unconsciously to the ground. Kakashi sighed "Not _one_ both" he looked at Sasuke then at Kai.

"Do you think it will be long?" Kai could slightly hear over her. She tried to move but she really couldn't, the voice around her began to fade again.

Naruto looked over at the bed next to Kai's there laid Sasuke eyes still closed. "If I ever met any two dumb enough to take each other out it would be this two" Kakashi looked from his book "I know I said all out, but hospitalized that's a little far" he sighed once more returning to his book. A small grunt came from one of the beds. "Sasuke you're awake" exclaimed Sakura looking over him. "Why am I hear?" he asked trying to sit up "nerve damage" explained Kakashi "it was all the lightning running ramped through your body." He sat speechless in reaction to what he heard "she hospitalized me" he thought. He was interrupted shortly by Kakashi's stern voice "What the hell were you thinking swinging the end of your sword to her head like that? You could have caused sever damage, luckily she only has a concussion" he was being scolded. He didn't know how to react he had never really been scolded. "Hun" he turned his head to the window.

There came a slight giggled from Kai, her eyes widened when Kakashi turned his gaze to her. "You. What was going through your head? Do you want to paralyze Sasuke?" he rhetorically asked. "You should be glad he's as strong as he is, any other person under what you put him" he pointed to Sasuke "would have died." She too was speechless, was she not also in the hospital. "But…" she began to mumble "No buts, you two are getting out of hand" he continued "one more like this and I don't know if we'll have either of you."

"Typical Uchiha-Hatake business, Kakashi, you should know that. It's not like you and Obito didn't have your good goes" came a familiar voice through the door. "Not this bad, I don't recall" explained Kakashi. Yamato stood in the doorway looking at the filled room. Naruto sat by Kai, didn't see that coming, Sakura by Sasuke, what a shocker, Kakashi in between the two beds, this team was so spontaneous. "I thought I would stop by and see how bad it really is, the whole village is talking about your 'little go'" he announced awaiting their response. "What!" Sasuke and Kai shouted almost simultaneously. "Yeah, you two are the gossip of the town, rumor had it the whole AMBU had to come and break it up" a smile came over his face as he saw the look on their faces. "Great" sarcastically replied Sasuke placing a hand over his face. Kai was attempting to get out of bed when Kakashi's arm came across. "Not any time soon" she sighed in frustration why did the town want to talk about her, of all the people their fight hadn't ever been that interesting. "I need to set them straight" she half growled holding her arm. Kai had always been a stubborn one, it was only resent that she started listening to Kakashi. 'We can still go get ramen right?" Naruto's curiosity peaked when he heard "not any time soon." "Likely not" Kakashi looked at Sasuke who had rested his head on the pillow his eyes half open. Kai on the other hand was sitting up straight, deceiving, her eyes were closed.

"There are usually more of you" the man said over the counter eyeing the Sensei with only tow of his students. "Wait… they're the ones that nearly set the village on fire with their jutsus had they not been stopped" he believed every work that was coming from his mouth. The three on the other side sighed in annoyance "No, it was just a little rough housing" Kakashi really seamed annoyed. "Oh, wow did they exaggerate" he handed them menus embarrassed of his mistake. "I feel bad that they're not here" Naruto browsed the menu "we should bring them something" he pointed to what he wanted. "What we should bring them is some commonsense, and let them rest" Sakura interfered.

"This is all your fault" Kai began, looking at the ceiling "if you hadn't knocked me out, I wouldn't be here" she continued. "What? Me? You're the one who almost fried my nerves" he was glaring at her. Her voice rose "because you kept attacking" he was now yelling too "it was training what did you expect me to do?" "let me win" she yelled at him "you know things don't work that way, when your fighting the enemy…" Kai interrupted his calm explaining with her screams " but you're my teammate in a training situation, you could have been nice" "why would I do that?" he asked his patience growing thin. "It was still your fault" she was good at that, blaming other for her mistakes. She attempted to cross her arms but the pain that shot through her arm was enough to prevent it. Sasuke sighed loudly "Just rest Kai, I swear sometimes you are just like Naruto" she turned to him with a smile on her face "I Love You to Sasuke" he facial expression made it look real but he couldn't help but think that she was being sarcastic. "Hun" he responded once more looking out the window.

Sakura had excused herself leaving only Naruto and Kakashi at the ramen shop. "Kakashi do you think Sasuke and Kai are well… you know?" he held up both his index fingers and drew them together. Kakashi wasn't surprised by the question he knew someone was going to ask it. "Are…?" he dragged it out "together, Kakashi, together" he finally blurted out. " I don't really know" he paused actually thinking about it "I hope they're not, look at what they did to each other, if that's when they like each other then I don't want to know what its like when they don't…" thinking about it they both became silent. "Why are you guys so silent?" came Sakura from behind.

The room had been silent for about an hour, the longer they stayed in there the longer Sasuke felt sick. "I hate hospitals" he thought "how does she stand being in here" he asked himself looking over to her. She was sleeping her breathing gentle and steady making her chest rise and fall ever so slightly. "If you actually defended you wouldn't be here" he whispered. His words didn't faze her; she really did sleep like a rock. "Kai" he whispered trying to wake her without being the one accused of it. "Kai" he repeated, she wasn't waking up and he was bored beyond his imagination. He couldn't keep his cool and emotionless front when he was this

bored.

Naruto kicked the door open a giant smile on his face "You guys feeling better?" Sasuke shoot him a dirty look lifting his head from the pillow. "I would if you let me rest" he was back to his cold self, although glad that he knew he wasn't going to be bored anymore. "I would if you let me blah, blah" Naruto mocked. "She's still sleeping!" he pointed to Kai who was not disturbed by Naruto's loud intrusion. "Because she sleeps like a rock" explained Sasuke clearly now annoyed Naruto was there. He attempted to crawl out of his bed, pain shooting up his side. He groaned in pain holding his side tightly. "Ugh I can't stand this" he complained lying back down. "I hate hospital" was he revealing facts about himself. This was not normal for Sasuke, had Kai done something to him.

"Are you feeling any better?" Kakashi gently put his book down pulling his nose out of it. "I guess I'm not sure anything ever hurt" she paused for a while" just needed rest" she looked at him eagerly hoping he would say they could leave. "Naruto asked me something interesting" his eyes didn't give away anything about what the question was. "What did he ask?" she lowered her voice to keep it from the sleeping Sasuke. "If you and Sasuke were together" he had no expression, did the question not faze him. "What?" she yelled out, she didn't know weather to be angry, upset, annoyed, or _happy_. "What did you say?" her face over flowed with emotions. "I told him what I knew, that I didn't know" he looked at her one eyebrow raised. "We're not a '_thing_' if that's what you're getting at" came a voice from behind Kakashi.


	4. Can You Repeat That?

CHAPTER 4

-Can You Repeat That?-

The last couple of days had been awkward with in their own right. After Sasuke had bluntly denied that he and Kai were a 'thing', tension and awkward silence filled the empty room most of the time. Yeah, she knew that they weren't a 'thing', as he called it, but Sasuke had flat out denied that they were even friends. After being paired with him for so long she kind of _expected_ him to recognize her as a friend, but to no avail.

"Ow" she spoke softly while attempting to get comfortable in the ever unwanted hospital bed. "Stop squirming around and it won't hurt" Sasuke didn't really like Kai, in any way, but he deep, deep, down felt a little remorse for having denied their friendship. If there was anybody who understood him in the slightest it was her. "Shut up, I don't need you to tell me what to do" her glare read: 'Speak again and you _will_ get it.' Truly she had no reason to be angry at him; there were people that she didn't like, so why would she be mad that there were people who didn't like her. But after all they had been through quit a lot and then some.

"Are you really mad about that?" his question slipped out leaving a lingering smirk behind. She, for some reason, felt the urge to tell him what she was candidly feeling. "Well, yeah" she lowered her head, almost in shame that she had admitted it. "You know we're not a _thing _so why-" his vocalizations got cut off by her deadly stare "No, smart one- I know that…" awkward silence "I meant the part where you said that we weren't friends." The room was silent once more, last day in the hospital; why not clear the situation now. "Really?" he asked hesitantly "You care that much about what I think of you?" he finished his short speech with his eyes locked on the window. "Not what you think of me, but how you see me. I don't see Naruto, Sakura or even You just as anybody… You guys are important to me, I need all of you in my life" she was getting frustrated by his lack of trying to comprehend, but she never lifted her gaze off of him. He sighed deeply, as though he carried a heavy burden, turning to face her "Listen Kai" he sighed once more "I don't hate you, be happy 'cause there aren't many that I don't, you're my team mate so I have to care but-" she looked at him her lips partly parted in shock, he '_had_ to care.' "We're not friends, we're not a couple, we're… well we're mutual acutance."

He was right, like he always was, not friends nothing just mutual agreements when ever needed- her face was blank. "A true Shinobi I understand" she had nothing more to say it was all clear as day in her mind. He was simply being what he was meant to be: a great Shinobi.

Sasuke raised his eyebrow in curiosity "Did you really get it that fast?" "I'm not stupid" Kai threw a pillow at him in attempts to get him back. Attempt failed, she laid on her said her body facing away from Sasuke. She didn't really want to see him and he probably didn't want to see her, they weren't friends or anything after all.

It was late and tomorrow morning they would be able to leave the horrid place. Sasuke looked over at the bed next to his, she laid there motionless, and the moonlight was hitting her face just right. Kai slowly opened her eyes, the moonlight making them look deeper and brighter, revealing the honey colored orbs. "T-t-today she said" she muttered loudly "What are you talking about?" questioned he, not wanting to admit he admired the way she looked at that time and place. "She, the tall lady, h-her dog" a small grin came to his face "Go back to sleep before you go completely insane" "ok" she incoherent said closing her eyes again. "What is wrong with you?" he thought out loud "You're just like Naruto if not worse" he shook his head continuing his self rant. "No not-" she came again "You're right, worse." He then realized she was contagious, he was talking to himself, which was her character trait. He could not have felt more out of character at that moment even if he wanted to.

A knock came at the door; it was early, around seven in the morning. A nurse stepped through the door "Someone will come in soon to give you two the official check so you can leave" she smiled closing the door once more. Damn, she slept a lot, most of the time they were there she slept. Even now, the morning of their release she slept. "Hope you two are feeling better" Kakashi walked through the door. If _he_ was there that early it had to be important. "Lucky you, you're going on a mission soon" he pointed to Sasuke "you too" his finger shifted to Kai. "Well all of you I suppose" he sat on the chair relaxing from the obvious exhausting long walk. "You expect the team to be ready to go _now_?" he knew he would be ready as for the rest of his team, look at the person next to him.

"I guess I should tell you that you need to go see Tsunade fist, oh and I won't be able to accompany you guys on this mission I have other things to take care of." He took out his book "And you're getting old enough and strong enough to go on missions without a Jounin, so I'm naming you the leader of the team I think you are the most qualified." Wow, this was great now _he_ had to watch what was his immature team. "Better round up your team and get going" just like that he left, of course it was Kakashi nothing less was expected of him.

"Get up" she slightly opened her eyes; everything was blurry and fuzzy so she closed them again. She felt firm hands take hold of her shoulders and begin to shake her. "Now Kai" whatever or whoever was trying to wake her up was extremely annoying. Why couldn't she just sleep its not like they had anything important to do. "Kai get up" the shaking only got harder and the words louder. Man did they want her to get up. Her hands lightly took hold of the ones shaking her "Ok, ok, I'm up" her eyes didn't open. "Seriously Kai, we have places to go" oh places, places sounded nice. "Places sounds agreeable" drowsier than anything she had no idea what she was saying. Alright words were not working force would have to do.

Good thing Kakashi had left if not Sasuke was pretty sure he would have been a goner. Taking hold of her hand he pulled her off the bed her light body hitting the floor. Without giving her a chance to register what happened he threw her clothes at her "Change" he demanded. He hoped the rest of his team was ready. Ten minutes later Kai stepped out of the bathroom still seemingly unaware of what was going on. "Sasuke we're here" Naruto's voice was beyond recognizable but it brought relief to him, at least they were ready.

"Kai!" Naruto was always happy to see Kai, despite their ups and downs, and meaningless quarrels. He grasped her in a bear hug, she allowed him his hello. "Naruto!" he continued his death grip. "How come you didn't visit me?" she asked gesturing him to let her go. Although he had been there the first two days it was beyond him to come visit her. It was those couple days that work built up on him. "I was really busy" he had released her now but he kept his arm around her shoulder. "It was very interesting being left alone with Sasuke-" almost immediately after hearing his name he snapped his head in said direction. "Out" he demanded pointing to the door.

They silently walked to the Hokage's quarters, besides a few comments from Naruto and Kai. Even though it was evident that Naruto had a crush on Sakura, and it was already assumed that Kai and Sasuke were a _thing, _Naruto and Kai were the epitome of a 'love-stricken' couple.

"Will you two knock it off and act lovey-dovey on your own time" he didn't like seeing their public display of affection, they weren't even together. "But I missed him so much" Kai took Naruto's hand and gripped it tightly. "I missed you more" he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Really?" Sasuke asked sarcastically rolling his eyes and looking away from them. "But Sasuke we love each other" she placed her lips over Naruto's.

If it were any other guy on the receiving end of her kiss they would have freak out. But it was Naruto and, although never and front of others, they had kissed before. Kisses of sympathy, friendship, and for the sake of telling each other that they were there for one another. They were soul mates; they really did need each other, but they also new that they were never going to be together, as a couple. They loved each other but not like that.

Sakura watched her jaw dropping to that floor, Sasuke on the other hand suppressed all needs to express alarm. His body merely tensed "We need to get going" their attempts to make him freak out had just failed. Following his lead Sakura did the same. They giggled at each other now standing side by side. "You think it did anything?" "I don't think so" Naruto shook her head in disappointment. It brought back memories of his prank pulling days.

"Sit, Tsunade will be here soon" Naruto and Kai opted out to sit next to each other on the available chairs. Sasuke sat to the left of Kai and Sakura to the right of Naruto. "How long do we have to be here?" Kai leaned on the armrest of her chair bringing her face close to his. He lifted his hand placed it on her face and pushed it back "I don't know, but you're to close for my personal taste." It was obvious he was concerned with his personal space. If any one was going to be so blunt about it, it was him.

"Good you're here" the blond stepped behind her desk, she looked weary at everyone. Sakura was looking at Sasuke and Kai out of the corner of her eyes, her hands crossed over her chest a frown on her face. Next to her Naruto had one hand on his lap and the other reaching for Kai's hand a smile on his face. Kai held Naruto's hand tightly her body turned to the left, she was glaring at Sasuke, who as usual looked like he didn't care about anything or anyone. She sighed getting their attention "What a team you guys make." The smiled, but Sasuke, assuming she meant it in a good way. "Hun, she's saying that you are immature" he sat up straight looking at them. He expected her to come back with a snappy come back or another or another of her childish tantrums. She just looked at him almost in agreement; he hated being proven wrong by her, even if he was the only one that knew.

"Sasuke did you hear that, in two days you leave, tomorrow come get the rest of the information" he hadn't been paying attention, how was that possible, what had he been doing? Kai lifted two fingers placed them on Sasuke's cheek and lightly directed his face to Tsunade. "She's over there team leader" she said with a smile. Had he been looking at her? His face was facing her but he didn't remember looking at her. "Yes" he nodded trying to shake away his thoughts. "You are dismissed" there was a lot of work on her desk that she had to tend to. "Sasuke can I talk to you?" oh no, did she want to talk to him about the staring. He nodded, what was he getting himself into? "See you around Sakura, bye Naruto" she hugged him waving to Sakura.


	5. Thank You

CHAPTER 5

-Thank You-

They walked through the town in gawky silence before some one said anything. "You being team leader is kind of awkward" she didn't face him which was 'awkward' because he was use to her constant eye contact with him when they spoke. "Hun" he was at a loss for words, when all else fails: grunt. "Don't get me wrong I respect you by all means but having to take orders from someone my age is… weird" she was looking up at him from the comfort of the shade. Through their walk she had been looking for a good place to stop and now she had found it. "What are you ranting about? I'm older than you" he too sat down joining her relaxation. "Not- alright you're right, you're older" she really didn't feel like fighting with him. "That's what you wanted to talk about?" he was unperturbed, at ease with… everything. It was different when he was with her.

"No" she paused to lock her eyes onto his "I want to know how you deal with it." 'It' what was it? His eyes said it all; he had no idea what she was talking about. "You see I've been having this urge-" he cut her off immediately after hearing the word 'urge'. " I don't thin I'm the person to be talking to about this" he back away from her a light blush on his face. "But you are" she demanded coming closer "Just listen ok?" his blush still lingering near he hesitantly nodded. "I've gotten this urge to well… get revenge for my parents and-" "Don't" he turned away "I'm really not the person to talk to, my goal are to my situation, not yours." Standing with his unique imperial manner, he looked down at her "Find things to keep you here, I'm already running out."

Sakura walked into her parents apartment "Mom, Dad I'm home" she placed her shoes by the door, briefly thinking it was time for her to get her own place. The thought soon left as the thoughts of Kai and Sasuke ran ramped through her head. What did Kai have that she didn't; besides normal looking hair and the fact that she had womanly curves and Sakura had yet to get them. Also Kai was smaller, height wise, thinking back to it she did look good standing next to the tall Sasuke; they complemented each other. "Sakura!" a familiar voice rang through the house. Not long after a knock came at her door "Come in." Kai stood in her door frame with the most bamboozled face ever.

Sasuke mindlessly roamed the streets, not much was on his mind. He had decided to push the thought of recent encounter with Kai to the back of his mind. Now all that was there was the mission. He was an Uchiha he could do anything, including lead a full squad. Maybe finally he would learn useful skills that would help him against Itachi. Itachi, he no longer could say or think his name with out associating it with Kai. Now when ever his thoughts drifted to Itachi or the massacre he would be led to thoughts of Kai and her sudden 'urge'.

"Hey Sakura" she said it like there was nothing weird about her being in Sakura's house. "What are you doing here?" Sakura tried to suppress the fact that she was caught off guard. "No reason" she paused to close the door behind her, shortly after leaning on it "Actually there is a reason." Her eyes scouted the room picking up hints of pink here and there. All the items expressed who Sakura was. The room was rather large, in one corner there was an abandoned picture, on it was Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura. They looked… like they belonged. It must have been before she came along, had she ruined what they had.

Why would she randomly bring up such a subject. It wasn't orthodox to talk about it, at least not for him. It wasn't right for Kai to go and get revenge, the life of an avenger was not an easy one. BOOM! It hit him; was it right for _him_ to get revenge? A miniscule hint of doubt lingered in the back of his mind. She was wrong ad he was right, it was always like that and it was never going to change.

"Kai?" it was the third time Sakura had called her name. Kai snapped her eyes away from the photograph and on to Sakura. "Hum?" she questioned suddenly unaware of what she was there for. "You were here for a reason?" leaning back on her bed she looked up at Kai with precaution. Kai gave herself a couple seconds to think before answering. "Oh, yeah I wanted to talk to you about Sasu-" the reaction that came across Sakura's face was bewildering. "W-why would you talk to me about Sasuke?" She was agitated and infuriated. "Because I figured-" "You figured wrong" her voice was loud and aggressive. "But-" Kai was staggered, to say the least, she never expected Sakura to lash out like that. "I'm busy can you go" Sakura stood and walked about the room desperately in search for something that would occupy her attention. "Alright" it was merely a mutter but Kai managed to say. She gradually walked out of the room closing the door behind her.

It was around lunch time and all those people not wanting to talk to her was making her hungry. Why didn't they want to talk to her… about anything? What did she do to make them mute? This was making her mad, if they didn't want to talk to her she had the right to be mad. "I'm Sakura I have pink hair and I don't like talking about Sasuke especial Kai" she attempted to mimic her voice. She placed her hands on her hips and strutted down the street swaying her hips vigorously. "Hun. I'm Sasuke _UCHIHA_" she added obvious emphases on the 'Uchiha' by sticking out her chest proudly. "I'm superior to everyone and I won't talk to you if I think you are not worthy." Her voice was as low and raspy as it got still no where near to Sasuke's actual voice. She lifted her head and looked down at the ground like it was not worthy of the dirt on the bottom of her shoes.

"Nice to see you too" hearing the low raspy voice of a 17-year old boy known as Sasuke froze her instantly. "H-H-Hey Sasuke." Sympathetically he placed a firm hand on her shoulder "It's fine to admit it Kai we have all come into terms that you are not mentally sane" compassion and understanding was all the rang in his voice. "We're all here for you, along with the Konaha Mental Institute (KMI)" he placed his other hand on her in endeavor to reassure her that he was there. "When I _go_ insane _you'll know_" she shoved his hands away from her. "Had I know you were going to be this aggravated I wouldn't have engaged in conversation with you" slowing his strut to remain by her side he watched her with a smirk on his face. "Talk-Talk! I don't want to talk!" pushing her hair back with a single hand, the ground seamed to catch her eye's attention. "You wanted to talk earlier" with rapid movements he stepped in front of her. Not like it took much she was the slowest walker in the world.

He was a little to peachy for some one that had the burden of leading a squad in the approaching days. In fact his whole demeanor had lightened up since… this morning, of course excluding their talk. Was she left out of the loop, _again_? She remembered, a while back, when her whole team decided to go training, lunch and then a break at the sauna with out bothering to mention it to her. She wouldn't put it past Sasuke and Naruto to do it again since they seamed to enjoy it so much last time. How much they had laughed at her enraged response.

"Sit" when had they gotten to Sasuke's place. "When-" her question was subsided by a firm shove that landed her on the couch. "You wanted to talk here I am" his shadiness and superiority were back. "Well- I don't know what to do, recently, I've been feeling unusual when it comes to my parents and I think that-" "You said that died on a mission?" her head delicately bobbed back and forth. "You have no responsibility- they died as Shinobi… an honorable death" looking out the window instead of Kai seamed like the better thing to do. "But-" "My brother killed my parents in front of me… I could have _done_ something to prevent it" his voice was barely a whisper. "But I didn't, I froze in fear… Now I have to live with the burden of their deaths- the gilt eating me from the inside out."

The right thing to do at the moment was; hold him, so she did. Taking the place next to him she sat wrapping her arms around him. She flinched when his body tensed but instead he nuzzled his head into her neck. "Promise you won't due anything unreasonable Sasuke" it was more of a demand than a question. There was no answer from him just a diminutive move of his head. Was that a yes? No? Or was he moving her hair out of his face?

"It's ok Sakura it not like they really like each other or anything" as much as he hated the fact that Sakura liked Sasuke and not him, he wasn't going to let Sakura be upset over him. She looked away form him, he was wrong of course, it was undoubtedly clear that as much as they _wanted_ to hate each other there was some kind of connection pulling them back to one another. "You heard, he even said they weren't even friends" he hated seeing her sad, but there really wasn't anything he could do. "How about we go pay him a visit so he can tell you himself that he doesn't like her?" anything at this point was an option to make Sakura feel better. "No I don't want to see him" "Really?" that would be a first. "No." He pulled her up encouraging her to walk "Let's go, we'll pick him up on our way to lunch its way past lunch time and I haven't eaten anything" what else would be on his mind but food.

**I know it might seam like these couple of chapter are adding up to nothing, and just stating things that happened in the characters life, but they are to explain the changing relationship between Sasuke and Kai. By the end of the story it will be apparent why they were there. Thanks for reading. **


	6. Come With Me

CHAPTER 6

-Come With Me!-

"Where's Sasuke?" he, Naruto, stood in front of Kai looking past her to see that yes, he had the precise location _it was_ Sasuke's abode. "He went to take a walk" the heavy wooden door slammed behind her. _Click_, she locked the door, keys still jingling in her hand. "Well then do _you_ want to come get lunch with us?" the little hint of disappointment mixed with selfish joy, in his voice remained unnoticed.

Sakura look a lot happier then when Kai had gone to talk to her. There was a sudden change of mood in her. Maybe it was a bad time, people could have bad moments right? Sakura wouldn't lash out at her for the sake of just doing it would she?

"You guys excited for the missi-" "We don't even know what it-" "It can't be that ba-" "What if it is?" all three of their voices rang loudly through the village their bickering available for all to hear, wanted or not. "Wait! Wait! Wait! I know how it's going to go down: Sasuke and Kai are going to get in a fight you are going to ignore her" Naruto's accusing finger stared at Sakura in the face his reproachful eyes darting towards Kai. "Then Kai will stick with me before she finds her way back to Sasuke's ass and me and Sakura are left _again"_ breath in breath out. "You couldn't be more wrong, why would I 'find my way back to his ass' as you put it" a giggled accompanied the ever elicit profane word. "It happens every time" wave your hands in the air if you want to add a dramatic effect. "You don't kno-" "SHUT UP!" a voice from a near by shop came aggressively. They snickered running to their desired location.

The soft warm breeze blew the hair off his face, it brought a comfort to him, nice warm feeling. He felt like he had just lifted the world off his shoulders by vocalizing the burdens the roamed with in him. How could such a simple action do that? "You seam awfully relaxed are you not worried?" "No" calm voice answered. His eyes never opening. Kakashi pulled his book closer "Why?" "No real reason doesn't seem like much will change" his arm rose to comfort his head leaning against the tree. "I won't be there" suddenly feeling a little unappreciated. "You don't do much… unless needed" sleep was creeping up on him, should he cave? Noticing the drift Kakashi left his nose in his book.

"What time is it?" it was early midday, the day before the mission, and he was going to be late to pick up the information. "Stupid hospital and the sleepless nights" he murmured under his breath while getting dressed. Usual apparel, usual morning, why would it be any different. "Good morning Sasuke-kun" no time to stop and say hi to Ino, not like he would any way. He had placed to be, places he should had been at an hour ago.

"You're late, this is not expected of a team leader" scolding again "but… you are Hatake's student and you do have a Hatake on your team, what else is to be expected?" "Sorry" he apologized looking straight at her…eyes. "It's an escort, a bit of distance between here and the desired destination, nothing you can't handle" Tsunade shuffled through some papers trying to locate the correct one. "Ah, here it is" holding it proudly in front of her, what? she managed to find it, "Osore* is her name she'll meet you tomorrow morning at the Village entrance at 5:30" she paused to catch his reaction; none "there are some people after her but they aren't much of a threat, so you guys will fend fine. Easy mission." The smile of her face read; 'I believe in you' how he hated that look. A quick nod and out the door he went to inform his team of the early morning that was to come.

He felt more or less like a dead man walking into the room, full or lazy team mates who _**DID NOT**_ under any circumstances feel any affection for early mornings or mornings in general, was a scary situation. Being the news barer was the worst job ever. "What? I didn't quite catch that" Kai flipped her hair, picking her ears to check for any ear wax that might impair her hearing. "Five-thirty A.M" Sasuke tried to remain calm "Sorry?" she continued to check for wax in her ears. He stepped close to her snatching her arms away from her ears "Five! Thirty! A! M!" he half shouted "Huh?" she tilted her head "I don't know if you have heard but I'm legally dead until nine…oh p.m. you say, how fantastic." Naruto on the other hand was being very cooperative for some one who was always late to the academy. She saw the anger bubbling in his eyes "That's going to be hard…" thinking time "how about seven? Yeah, I like that proposal better"

"No" he still held her hands, his body threateningly close. She nodded in fake agreement "You can sleep over so we both get up at _five-thirty_" Naruto's voice quivered in disgust of the words 'five-thirty' "That sound like a good idea" darting her head in his direction. "Yeah, I agree perfect arrangements so you can both be late" realizing he continued his unnecessary grip he released her. "Whatever Sasuke, you're just upset 'cause no one will sleep at _you're_ house" she sounded so confident. "_You've _slept at my house and that was more than enough" want to see my back? Because that's all they saw. "Fine" Kai pulled Naruto by the arm in what ever direction she felt was necessary to go.

There was a mission the next day correct? So why was Kai thinking up all these sleep over ideas on staying up late, eating a lot of candy, truth or dare, prank calls, and who knows what else came out of her mouth. "I thought we were just going to make sure that we got up at the time Sasuke said" when had _he_ turned into the responsible one? "Naruto, you know his time is only a suggested one, so as long as we show up it should be fine" her incorrect logic was making sense. "Ok" a smile over his face shortly after the shoulder shrug.

"This isn't going to turn out good Sakura" yeah, I'll talk to you because you are the only one here "Kai is going to be late on purpose, I know her way to well." If her eyes went any further back she would have been able to see her brain "Why do you always talk about her?" "Huh?" wow where did that come from, where was sweet Sakura who blushed over him. "Her, Kai, some how when ever words come out of your mouth they lead to Kai" he hadn't noticed, he hadn't even talked about her or so he thought. "I don't-" "I know _her _well, why is _she_ so annoying, why _her_, let _her_ be, let _her_ think, let _her _be alone, always _her, her, and her_" for all those hers Sakura had astoundingly remained calm. "I don't know what your talking about, I say many peoples' names" he did it was true. "But none grace your lips more than hers Sasuke" "Grace my-this is getting to eccentric" walk away just walk away.

Yes, pick any candy that your heart desires "How about this green one?" or that you can afford. Pulling her to the side Naruto whispered into Kai's ear "How much do you got? I don't have much left" digging through her pockets apart form pocket lint all there was were a couple of coins. "Not enough" "What we have will have to do" he snatched the bag from her peering into it like it was gold. "Hey it's mine too you know." Run as fast as you can! You want the candy you'll have to catch Naruto. Gasping for air she laid a hand on his back "Alright, you hold it."

Tossing and turning, Sasuke just couldn't sleep. One, he was worried about the mission. Two, was Sakura right when she said that he talked to much about _her_? Three, his bed was getting lumpy. "Just a couple hours, come on" he closed his eyes but they just wouldn't stay shut. Staring at the monotonous white ceiling his thoughts drifted to Naruto and Kai's 'sleep over'. What in their right minds could they be dong at that moment. _Ring….Ring…..Ring_ "Hello?" an attempted raspy voice returned "Is this Yahata?" dropping his head on the pillow Sasuke once more looked at the ceiling "Kai go to sleep." A panicked noise on the other side then; "How did you know-" an interruption "This is Kai yes,…. Kai Yahata, is this my husband speaking?" a high pitched Naruto came. "It's two-thirty Naruto go to bed" pulling the phone away from his ear he could hear unanimous "awwwws".

"Open the door" Sasuke shouted knowing that Kai and Naruto would still be sleeping it was only five-fifteen after all. "N-Naruto you're…." long pause "d….oor" she sounded like she was hung over. "It's for you" as did Naruto. "Open" she also sounded like she had just gotten hit by a stampede of hungry cows. A firm shove and the door easily opened, in front of him where Kai and Naruto laying on the living room floor. Candy wrappers, empty soda cans, a shoe here, another on the kitchen table, the phone on the ground, that's what he saw. Kai laid on her stomach, limbs spread on the floor. Naruto was half on the couch half on the floor, one push and he would fall… on Kai. Eye brown rose; what a great alarm! "Get up!"

"Ugh" that's what Naruto falling on her had accomplished "You're comfy." That didn't work, so Sasuke took hold of their shirt collars one in each hand and dragged them out the door. It was five-thirty perfect timing.

Standing next to Sakura was a beautiful girl, not to far off his age, with mesmerizing green eyes, long, black, slick, hair falling down her shoulders. "You must be Osore" Naruto dropped to allow an extend of a greeting hand. "Are those the ninja's that will be escorting me?" her voice was gentle and sweet. Looking at the two sleeping broods by his side he nodded his head. "Oh" she looked at him for reassurance that it was all going to turn out accordingly. "Don't worry, there is a reason why I'm on this team" "Yeah the _might Uchiha_-" "Will save you." Naruto and Kai laid on the ground snickering at their own remarks. Rolling his eyes he let go of Kai. Her head thudding on the ground "Ow! The might Uchiha isn't much of a gentlemen."

"I'm sure that he is" Osore came with a hint of ego in her voice. "You don't know him like I do" Kai rolled on her stomach to look at her. "Hey where is my other shoe?" she felt the wiggle-allowed space on her foot. Naruto had cuddled into a ball, trying to escape the morning chill. "Sakura went to get it, along with Naruto's" "Why couldn't we go?" he knelt, embraced her in his arms…and… pulled her to stand. He held his arms around her for a couple seconds before releasing. "Because we couldn't risk you or Naruto going back and falling asleep" she dusted off like Sasuke lifting her with such kindness was normal. "Naruto-to, get up" Kai sang, the morning burst of energy hitting her like a well built rock.

The shoes came flying their way almost hitting Osore in the face. "Sorry" Sakura pulled up next to Sasuke "That was meant for her" finger pointed to Kai. Pinching the bridge of his nose Sasuke sighed, the world was back on his shoulders, in the form of his team. Now he knew why Kakashi stayed so distanced from them. "Let's just go" as always Sasuke took the lead, Sakura after, then Naruto and Kai, last but not least Osore, whom they were suppose to protect, at the back of the line.

"You know what?" a general question "What Kai?" that Sasuke had to respond to. "I don't have any of my equipment, not even a simple kunai" she patted her sides to show that nothing was there. "It's a little late now" he hid the alarm bells ringing in his head, Kai wasn't a good one on one hand combat person, what was she suppose to do with out her empowering weapon. If all went well then they wouldn't have to fight, right? Of course, now it just had to all go well.

***Osore- Fear**


	7. Get Away From Me

CHAPTER 7

-Get Away From Me-

The sun was high in the sky shinning in little slivers through the tree branches. Natural forest noises were the only sounds adorning the noon, that is until a certain big mouth decided to interrupt the peace. "I'm tired!" _grumble….grumble _"Ha ha, I think that's my stomach" Naruto placed a light hand on his abdomen. "Me too" Sakura chimed in "As I" Kai mimicked a royal personal by placing a light hand over her lips and gracefully pulling it away as she spoke.

"Yes, I do think a break would be appropriate" Osore looked around for a reasonable place to sit. "Here" Sasuke dusted off a rock that looked like a reasonable place to sit. Everyone else just dropped their things, if they had any, and sat on the dirt path road. "So, what are we having? 'Cause I don't have anything one me, I would had you given me the chance but I didn't now _did I_?" "I said you could take a break not that I was going to feed you" nobody was taking Sasuke off the high horse he daily rode.

Noticing the uneasy look on Kai's face Osore spoke "Is all alright, Kai?" The remaining pair of eyes darted towards her in awaits of her response. "Yeah, I just… I though I saw someone crouching down by those bushes" she pointed to the indicated direction. Tsunade had said that there were going to be people but nothing to worry about right?

"Who pushed her over the edge? She's seeing things now" a smirk left behind appeared on Sasuke's face. "Good thing I got you that discount for KMI * huh?" Naruto's smirk followed. Kai bit her lip in thought, not long after dismissing it as yet another hallucination of her over active imagination. As the chatter continued and Sakura passed out rice balls that she had packed for everyone, Kai could not shake off the feeling that they were being watched and that indeed she had seen someone.

It all seamed like it was going to go exceptional, there were no attacks and it seamed like what Kai had seen _was_ her hallucinations. "What are you doing?" Sasuke's voice more egotistical than ever, he referred to Kai who stood her gaze fixed upon the location of her previous fantasy. She walked over to the bushed looked around, in, and through them nothing to be found. "I don't know I don't feel… right" and un-right was correct. A rusty kunai came flying her way "Move!" Sakura yelled being the first one that spotted it. A hasty retreat the kunai missed Kai by a split hair.

"Get over here" Sasuke commanded encircling Osore; she was their priority, their mission. But at that point it was safe to say that so was Kai. "Don't worry I can handle a want-to-be" she stood in front of Osore closing her inside. "No. You can't, not with out any of your weapons" he handed her a kunai. With out any of her weapons she was essentially useless and vulnerable for attack.

In all the history of Shinobi and fighters in general there was none that relied on their weapons more than Kai. She knew nothing of one-on-one hand combat, how she managed to pass and become a ninja with such a _heavy _dependence on her 'extension' of power was beyond anyone. If anything the reason that she _was_ a ninja was because of her incredulous use of an added aid.

"Stay here" Sasuke darted away form their sight. Nothing could be heard, not a rustling of leaves, the crack of a twig, nothing. The whole situation was becoming a horror movie scenario. The clouds had rolled in covering the little bit of light that came through the tree tops, Sasuke was gone, and not a chirping bird was heard in the forest.

To make matters worse a low whisper could be heard, surrounding them from all angles. _"A fighter will fall"_ it was a raspy voice but it wasn't Sasuke, it had a soft hint to it which he did not posses. Speaking of the king, he stepped out kunai in hand. _"And an Avenger will rise and take their place."_

"Do you hear that?" Kai wasn't sure if everyone could hear it or if she really did need to go to KMI. Sasuke nodded, he too heard what seamed like a warning. "I don't hear anything" "Me either" the two remaining girls agreed the entire time not a noise was heard. "A fighter will fall, and an avenger will rise and take their place" Naruto recanted shifting his eyes to Sasuke, the closest thing they had to an avenger.

The four ninja took their place around Osore, the same incantation playing over repeatedly each time in a lower voice. "What is that suppose to mean?" Kai dropped her guard. "Don't loose focus" Sakura nudged her to lift her kunai back up.

"Sh-Shouldn't we keep moving?" the fear induced stutter could be heard in Osore's voice. "Not in a time of ambush" they all moved closer finally realizing this was it. They didn't have Kakashi, they had a wanted target which they had to protect, and that yes there was a chance that some one was going to get hurt or worse.

Flesh hitting flesh could be heard as a fist came to Kai's face. Eyes snapped to see what had happened. Sasuke's fist was extended and Kai was on the floor blood dripping from the corner of her mouth. "Move!" he shouted leaping back to charge at them. "Sasuke…?" Naruto was the most surprised of them all.

"I don't know what's going on- I cant control-" a shaking hand holding a kunai was in front on Kai's neck. The struggle for the control of his body was obvious "Move Kai!" he demanded the shaking of his hand and entire body enhancing. She had no reaction; her body was paralyzed with fear after all _Sasuke_ had just knocked her down with one hit.

Naruto was the one that reacted pulling Kai away from him. Suddenly he dropped to his knees a _clink _from the kunai that fell by his side. "Ugh…" he held his head tightly "don't drop… your guard" he tried to shake it off. Kai stared at him wide eyed, her hand on her cheek the other dropped by her side. "Kai… ar-are you ok?"he came close to her only to be pushed away by a hard shove.

"Kai!" Naruto and Sakura screamed simultaneously, a large kunai piercing her body making her stumble back. She looked down to see the knife deep under her rib, but she didn't feel any pain yet the blood continued to drizzle out. Sasuke jerked his head back; there was no one there but in front of him still stood Kai a kunai hanging off her side.

Kai stumbled forward falling to her knees clutching her sided tightly. The pain had finally hit her, hard. She coughed into her hand, pulling it away she closed it tight to not reveal the blood that was on it. The circumstances in which they were in did not call for her to alarm the rest of the squad.

"Sakura" Sasuke called kneeling beside Kai "Sasuke!" Naruto pointed to three approaching figures. Naruto and Sasuke charged at them before they could come close to the three girls. They need to keep them as far away as possible from Osore, whom they thought was going to be the target by the looks of it one would think that Kai was the target. As well as from Sakura and Kai so that she would be healed properly. "Shadow Clone Jutsu" Naruto called out allowing hundreds of himself to appear behind him.

The unknown figures whipped right threw them, picking up Kai while continuing on their path. It had all happened so fast that not even Sakura who was next to her was able to stop them. "Stay with Osore _I'll _find Kai" their easy mission had gone down hill in a matter of minutes. A mission where team 7 was suppose to protect Osore has just turned into a dangerous rescue mission for Kai.

"I found the _fighter_" "Now how do we get rid of it?" the two voices commented to each other. "The way we were told, Lord Orochimaru gave specific instructions on how to kill the one keeping him from Sasuke." "Then our job is done, _the viper has bitten it's pray_" the three figures decided to come to a sudden halt.

Osore covered her face "What just happened?" everything had happened so fast. "We're not sure" the drops of blood that scattered the ground began to dry with the sun that was shinning once more through the trees. "Maybe we weren't ready" Naruto continued "Don't doubt yourself Naruto, if we weren't ready we wouldn't be here" Sakura tried to comfort him. "No Sakura. If we were ready then no one should have gotten hurt" his tightened the grip on his kunai.

"Looks like we should get going" the three figures hastily left after Sasuke appeared. They were gone just like that. Down by his feet was Kai curled into a ball, scratches, bruises, and blood covered her body. It didn't look to bad, the blood was all from one injury and it looked like she had just been tossed around a bit.

Sakura was digging through her bag, Kai was on the ground surrounded by Naruto and Sasuke, Osore tried to remain calm. What had happened to Kai was horrible but she was the one who hired them so shouldn't they be more concerned with getting her home than fixing their friend. In other words she was jealous that she wasn't getting the attention that she thought she deserved.

"Don't pull it out Naruto" "Keeping it in wont help" "It will only make it worse" "You don't know what you are talking about" "I think I have more commence sense that you do" "Of course the Uchiha always knows best" Naruto and Sasuke's arguing was interrupted by Kai's scream "Sakura!" It was more on an impatient-come-get-me-away-from-these-two kind of scram than one of pain.

Sakura shooed them away, placing several objects next to her. "This might hurt" hurt it did, with ever dab of the disinfectant a sharp sting followed by a burning sensation was created. "Ow" "Hold still I'm almost done" the last bandage was secured around Kai's waist. "Let's get going then" announced the leader once he saw Kai on her feet. "Naruto come here" and so he did "Help me" she whispered into his ear, no way was she going to say that out loud she didn't want Sasuke to have anything to hold over her head. Kai put her hands over his shoulder; at that moment she wanted to be carried the pain that was coming from her side was making her whole body ache.

"How bad is it?" Naruto asked beginning at a slow pace. "Bad, but I can manage" she leaned more on him for support, even walking made pain shoot through her body. It wasn't long before the pace was picked up and everything seamed to go back to how it was at the beginning of the mission. "How are you holding up?" Sasuke looked back to Kai. It was him walking next to Osore and Sakura and behind them was Naruto and Kai. "Satisfactory" it wasn't difficult to see threw her lies. "Is that so?" he continued walking his gaze forward.


	8. Don't Help Me

_CHAPTER 8_

_-Don't Help Me-_

_The sun wasn't far from setting, an hour maybe two before all daylight was gone. The walking order remained the same Osore-Sasuke-Sakura and behind them at a slower pace Naruto-Kai. "Are you ok?" Sasuke would constantly hear Naruto whisper to Kai, her response he couldn't not hear for they were spoken to softly. He wasn't at ease not knowing exactly how she was doing, it brought him great anxiety. Because of that anxiety he would constantly sneak a peek back at her to try and read how she was feeling. _

"_Stop" suddenly he came, Sakura almost stumbled over unprepared for the unexpected command. "What is it?" asked Osore looking around suspiciously "Nothing" replied Sasuke walking back the couple steeps to Kai and Naruto. With out reason or explanations he reached over took Kai's arm and threw it over his_ shoulder. "Take a break Naruto" he demanded pulling her from him. Naruto was in no mood to argue and he was a bit tired, after all they hadn't eaten and they had been walking almost all day. "Continue" Naruto's break was not a sit down and rest one, but a you can walk without a burden break.

Kai didn't seem to notice the change of hands, all she felt was her stomach doing summersaults with in her. "Do you need to sit?" now it was Sasuke that was whispering her questions. "…just for a little bit…" her steps where sluggish and her head was down. The desired location would not be reached until morning even if they were going at a normal pace, so now they wouldn't be there at least till midday. "Here" he directed her to a clear area.

"-Sasuke?…" thinking back on it, the 'Here' didn't sound like Naruto's voice. He raised an eyebrow "What?" her body tensed before she sat. "-Uhm I-I can keep go-going." Kai wobbled and stumbled a couple steps before falling on her face. "Ow!- I'm okay we can keep going" barely getting on her knees she attempted to crawl. "Get up Kai!" Sasuke's voice was firm and controlling. "Don't be ridiculous where are you going in that condition?" he asked rhetorically and loud. "I-I" standing was not an easy business when your side was burring intensely.

He wrapped his arms around her and held her in his hands not long after throwing her over his shoulder. She didn't complain much besides a small groan of pain when her side hit his body. "We'll get there faster if we actually walk" he was mad and it was not hard to tell. A random person who they had never seen in their life could have heard him and known that he was mad. Stomping in front of the group he carried along girl and all.

"I don't think carrying her like that is a good idea?" Sakura caught up to him, of course. "She's not going to help the group any other way" he had a point. "Okay" Sakura was not going to voice her opinion to him, especially if it went against him. Initially Sasuke did have a slight interest in Sakura but her incapability to go against him, in anything, turned him off and away from her.

It was dark, the chilly wind was blowing everyone's hair back, it had been hours that they had been walking nonstop. "Stop Sasuke" did someone hear something. "Hun?" questioned he, not really understanding what she had said. "Stop, I need, stop" he slowly put her down. As soon as her feet hit the ground Kai scattered to the nearest bush. "What's the hold up?" Naruto and Osore came behind them. Sasuke nudged his head in Kai's direction. "Bathro-" Naruto was about to question when he heard the noise of Kai regurgitating what she didn't have in her stomach. He quickly slapped his hands to his ears "I cant hear this- I think I'm going to be sick."

"Hold it, we cant have two sick people holding us back" he snickered until Kai was really noticeable and his face cringed in revulsion. "Go help her Sakura" it was her dirty job to help the ill, no matter what kind of _sick_ they were. Sakura pulled her book bag close to her walking over slowly to Kai, taking her sweet time getting there. This was her least favorite part of helping others, medically.

Her limbs felt cold, with ever breath she took she felt the heat taken from her body. Her knees wiggled under her weight seconds from collapsing. She was lightheaded and her vision blurred what was going on? "Kai are you ok- are you crying?" Sakura was in seeing distance of Kai. She had trouble pronouncing the words in her throat so she nodded instead. She had no idea why but ever time she upchucked the tears flowed. "Done yet?" Naruto screamed clasping his hands tightly to his ears. He looked over to see Sakura give him a dirty look, then no Kai was not done.

It was one of the longest and worst time that Kai had thrown up. After walking away from the 'used' area Kai dropped to that floor wiping the tears off her face and catching her breath. "Here rinse with this" Sakura handed he a container with a water mixture, after doing so she looked around for the rest of her anthology. All she could make out was small figures, far, far in the distance. Suddenly she felt bad that she couldn't have avoided it since it seamed to bother the rest of her team so much.

"Ew, this is nasty" Naruto rocked back and forth holding his hands to his ears tightly. "Don't be such a delicate flower Naruto" Sasuke would never admit it but he was beyond grossed out too. "It is improper to make fun of a lady in a time of…" a faint smile "of unpleasant moments" Osore tilted her head opposite the direction of Kai's noise. In all honesty they were all grossed out, Sakura she was a medic she _had_ to handle it.

Suddenly Sasuke dashed away. If he had stayed there any longer he was sure that he would be the next one to… Deep breaths, relax the mind and clear you're throat of the threatening lump. Oh here it comes, no it doesn't, his will power is strong enough to surpass the need to upchuck. All he needed was a couple of moments to breath easy and not hear Kai and her parade.

"Thanks Sakura" it was really dark and hard to see anything even what was in front of them. "Don't forget to take that" the brown pill in Kai's hand did not look appetizing in any way. "It'll make you feel better" the looks of it didn't sedges so, it was nasty looking for crying out loud how good could it make you feel. "…Right" more like 'I'll put it in my back pocket and pretend that I took it and when I feel bad again and you try to figure out what is wrong with your all-healing pill I'll have to admit that I didn't even take it.'

Sasuke threw a couple of sticks in the middle of a clear area. A couple of hand sighs and the sticks were bright and radiating heat. "Over here Naruto" he shouted directing them in the direction in which he was. His eyes somewhat widened when he saw Kai coming his way. With the light of the fire hitting her face he noticed how pale her complexion had turned. He reached to her, she lightly took his hand "You're freezing" he stated running his hand through her nimble fingers. Kai came closer to him before having a seat by the fire, really close to the fire. "You're kind off close aren't you Kai" Sakura bluntly stated, not necessarily about her being close to the fire. Sasuke looked down at her before pulling her hand back a little. Yes, the whole time he kept her hand in his.

"Not to close Kai" Sasuke reiterated not to long from then, to no avail, Kai was out. She was curled into a ball, her knees by her chest. The shadows of the fire danced on her pale face, her lips a light tint of blue. "Here Sasuke" Naruto threw his jacket towards him noticing how he looked at her with concern. Furrowing his brows at Naruto, he placed the jacket over Kai. "What time will we be arriving tomorrow?" Osore needed to redirect the attention back to her. "Late" Sasuke didn't even turn to look at her for he was to occupied in lifting Kai ever so slightly to pull her a bit further away from the fire.

Everyone huddled around the fire sleeping calmly until the morning sun woke them in the morning. It had been a long and exhausting day after all, what more did they disserve than a good nights sleep. With the fire between them all, the night suddenly didn't seam so cold and un-homely. It actually went by rather fast.

"Let them sleep" Naruto laid his head back down with a yawn "But we should get going, the earlier we go the earlier we get there." Osore paced back and forth impatiently. "They had a long day" Sakura rolled to her side huddling to keep the warmness in. Sasuke's eyes twitched in hearing all their voices so early in the morning. He cracked his eyes open to see Kai in front of him huddled inches from him. Abruptly he decided that he didn't want to get up, he didn't want to be far from Kai, and he certainly didn't want to deal with the _team_. "Osore we'll be up in a bit" Sasuke's raspy voice rang with out any movement of his body. She scuffed before sitting down to wait for them.

Naruto was back to snoring, Sakura breathing lightly, Sasuke wasn't really sleeping but he was still tired and in no means ready to get up. Kai was sleeping too, not like she had gotten up at all. Not ten minutes had passed when Osore spoke again "Now?" she question each time her properness slipping form her hands. No on answered her "I'll get a head start" she stood and began walking away from them, in the wrong direction. "Osore wait" Sasuke began "You cant go anywhere with out us" slowly he sat up. "Naruto Sakura get up" he looked around to, for some reason, see if anything was missing. "We're up" they groaned shifting their positions.

"Is she breathing?" Sasuke alarmingly looked over Kai placing a hand on her chest. "Sakura!" he yelled out for her to quickly come to the aid. They turned her to her side so that she was facing them, she was unbelievably pale and cold to the touch. "Kai!" Naruto yelled coming around her "What's wrong with her?" he pushed through Sakura and Sasuke "Why is she so cold?" Sasuke pulled him back. He place both his hands on her chest "She's not breathing Sakura" Sakura seamed to be paralyzed with fear. "Sakura" he repeated impatiently not knowing what to do. "SAKURA" he was impatient and mad, Kai was dieing in front of him and Sakura was not responding.


	9. Who's Going To Deal With Me?

CHAPTER 9

-Who's Going To Deal With Me?-

"Move!" she, Sakura, demanded snapping out of her long train of thought. Pushing Sasuke's hands away from Kai, she positioned two fingers on her neck "Her heart is still beating; it has to be her lungs." Running back to her things in lightning speed, she returned holding a kunai in her hand and a hand full of sanitized gauzes in the other. "What are you going to do?" questioned Naruto looking at the kunai in her hand with horrified eyes. "There's something obstructing her lungs, our only chance, is to make an opening through the trachea" she looked down at the objects in her hands "And if that doesn't work-" "Just do it" Sasuke interrupted not wanting to think of the; what-ifs.

Sakura tried to tranquilize her shaking hand as she approached the cold, pale figure that was known as Kai. "Take this" Sakura handed Sasuke the gauzes, so she could hold the kunai with both hands. "Immediately following the puncture put the gauze at the neck" an understanding nod. Trembling aside, she knew time was running out and she had to act fast. A quick slit to the trachea "Now" she demanded. Sasuke could feel the warm blood seeping through the white material, and then it happened, Kai inhaled. More or less, some color returned to her face. It was unlike anything she had ever felt before; she was breathing but not trough her mouth or her nose. She squeezed her eyes tightly; it hurt all of a sudden, Kai opened her mouth in efforts to try and say something but nothing came out. "It won't work" Sakura smiled, she had done it, though the chances had been slim to none she had done it. Sasuke and Naruto sighed in relief; even Osore had to acknowledge "Is she-" "She's doing fine." Naruto's voice was filled with anger and frustration as much as he hated it; he felt the need to place the blame on her.

"What exactly was wrong with her?" questioned Naruto as he helped Sakura pick up the belongings that had fallen out of her bag when she quickly dumped them to get what she needed to aid Kai. "I'm not sure why but her throat was swollen shut, that's why she couldn't breath" the pink haired girl thought back to the very early events while fixing her sight on the two figures a couple feet in front of her. "Oh-" Naruto was cut off "Is she allergic to anything?" Osore jumped in. "I don't know, ask Sasuke he should know" as much as it killed her inside Sakura was starting to come into terms that Kai was the better person for him. "Hey Sasuke" shouted Naruto.

Her body was a little warmer than before but not warm enough to satisfy him. Down in his arms was Kai looking back up at him with eyes full of wonder if only she could talk at that moment, he could only imagine all the questions that she would ask then she would come up with more. The only thing that was a little thorn in his side was that: she wasn't protesting and neither was he. When had that changed? "Need anything?" he asked her noticing that suddenly her eyes couldn't concentrate on any one thing. Keeping her eyes on him for only a few seconds she nodded a no. She was going to be alright he didn't doubt it and after all he was _always _right. "Hey Sasuke" he heard from behind.

Turning to give Naruto a quick glance and reassurance that he was listening he felt Kai shift in his arms. "Is Kai allergic to anything?" continued Sakura. Why would he know that, weird though because he did "Pollen" nothing but the occasional seasonal allergies besides that there was nothing he could think of that she would react too. "Is that it?" Naruto scratched his head looking at Osore "No, Naruto" even Kai was able to pick up the sarcasm in his voice.

Slowly everything was turning into a fuzzy blur, objects _and_ people that weren't there where abruptly there. Although she could feel the warmth coming from Sasuke she herself felt cold. Black was coming from the corner of her eyes dancing in front of her before once more retreating into the corner then once more coming out. They entertained her vision kept her eyes moving, drew her attention. Then, then came the sounds; it was like chirps of a small bird coming from all direction, echoed by a deeper roar. "I'll takkkkkkk" she turned her head in the direction form which she thought it came from but she didn't seam to have a sense of direction. "hhhhhhher firfirfir" a long pause "First."

"I'll take her first" after everyone had gathered their belongings it had been decided that Kai was not to walk for the rest of the way. Naruto offering to take her first picked her up in his arms and held her tight; never again did he want to feel like he was going to lose a friend… permanently. Sasuke on the other hand didn't seam to pleased that he wasn't going to be the one carrying Kai but he would deal. In Naruto's hands Kai shift looking around for something, something that only she imagined to see. Her nose and forehead buried into his chest in impulsive or reaction to fear, felt warm really warm against his chest. "I think you're going crazy" he muttered under his breath trying to lighten the mood even if it was just for him.

Hitting late afternoon they were but a few feet way from the destined area and every one had had enough. They were all tired form walking nonstop but Sasuke refused to stop he was going to get Kai to a hospital as soon a as he could. Reasons for that being that during their trip she had gotten worse; she was badly delusional and the worst part that hit Sasuke the hardest had pushed him to get her help as soon a possible. She was in his arms looking up at him, or so it seamed, with milky brown eyes suddenly her mouth open releasing a failed attempt to vocalize something. Since that didn't work Kai used the little part of her that hadn't gone senseless to mouth the word "Water" "Water" he repeated turning to Sakura. Her words still rang in his head along with the disappointed, hopeless look that Kai gave him; "She can't." They weren't very strong or cruel words but she didn't see the look that Kai was giving him when he shook his head no.

As they stepped through the trees they were greeted by a crowed, apparently Osore was some kind of big deal. Appearing more regal then ever she pointed to Sasuke and Kai "Get them some help" she demanded. A group of men and women dressed in white came and took Kai from Sasuke's arms "You can come with us" one of them offered looking back to see if he was coming or not. Being leader was hard he knew that he had to stay to make sure Osore was where she needed to be and all went well but Kai had a string attached to him and the further she went to more it pulled on him. (Not literally) seeing the alight fear and panic in his face his friends were there for him "Go Sasuke" Naruto placed a hand on Sakura's shoulder "We'll take care of it." Regardless of their annoyance he couldn't ask for a better team at that moment and time.

"21B sir" was all Sasuke could hear from the receptionist he had been sitting in the waiting room for about half an hour and he had yet to receive news for Kai. "Are you with Kai Hatake?" out of the corner of his eyes Sasuke was able to make out the tall figure dressed in white. "Yes" he answered his voice low and raspy "First thing first she will make a full recovery; it appears that she was poisoned with nutmeg." Sasuke sighed in relief only to snap back into anxiety, _poisoned, _how would that happen it was only them all night. "Nutmeg has myristicin a weak monoamine oxidase inhibitor that would explain the extreme deliria and dehydration" noticing the puzzled look on the young mans face the doctor knew that he wasn't listening nor would he really know what he was saying. "Would you like to go see her?" he asked catching his attention "Yes please" Sasuke followed his thoughts wondering deeper into the situation.

The room was white, as usual, with minor cheese decorations scattered through out the walls. In the middle of the room were all his worries and relives materialized into a body, whose breathing was steadied by machines that surrounded her. "The only thing we don't understand is why her throat was swollen, but you did a very nice job opening her trachea that's what probably saved her" realizing they would like to be alone he closed the door behind him. "Poisoning" he looked at her, rosy red adorning her cheeks.


	10. Because Of Me

_CHAPTER 10_

_-Because Of Me-_

_He impatiently sat by her side taping his foot at an inconstant rhythm, waiting for her to wake up. He had gone through all the possible scenarios, in his mind, that would have cause Kai to get poisoned in any shape way or form. The thing was that none of them fit their case, none made sense, none could have happened with out him noticing. He was with her all day and night, he had eaten, what little, she had eaten they all had; but why was she the only one that was now laying in front of him in a hospital bed. It wouldn't be an allergic reaction because it was poisoned _and they all would have had it but they didn't. He was going insane trying to figure out how such event even managed to happen.

Sasuke's flurry of thoughts was interrupted by an obvious knock at the door "Sasuke?" the distorted voice from the other side of the door asked. "Come in" he was forced to reply, taking in a deep breath; preparing for the onslaught of questions that would follow the rest of his team. Immediately he was greeted with one; "You alright?" Sakura's voice was reassuring but at that moment in time it could not have sounded more annoying to him. Why would she ask _him, _Sasuke, if _he_ was ok, was Kai not the one in need of the medical aid? "I guess" he replied hiding the clear irritation. Almost like an arranged reaction Naruto's eyebrow raised in astonishment; Sasuke was never unsure of what he felt. Most of the times it was a dislike or an unpleasant mood never the less he knew exactly what he felt. But now, now he _guessed_ he was alright but was he truly?

"All he said was that it was poisoning, nutmeg I think he said" Sasuke explained the situation, or what he recalled of it, while keeping his eyes fixed on the figure lying on the bed. "Nutmeg" repeated Sakura thinking back to the past day "We didn't even come across nutmeg, in-fact I don't think it even grows around here" she placed a hand on her hip annoyed that they would give that diagnosis. "You're being awfully quite" Sasuke directed his comment to Naruto by nodding his head in his direction. He was being quiet but what else was he to do? He came inches to losing one of his best friends and there was nothing he could do about it, nothing he could do about it now. Even though he wasn't the one that came close to dying, he almost felt tears building up in his eyes just in the thought of all the grief and pain he would go through if he actually would have lost Kai. "Just thinking" he shrugged his shoulders once more slouching on the chair he sat upon.

"He seams really affected by the whole circumstance" Sakura picked at her roughly empty plate. "Yeah" Naruto responded fiddling with the food in front of him, he was there but not really there-there. He and Sakura had left a while back to get some diner; Sasuke had refused their invitation and pleads that he needed to eat. Snapping back into realty Naruto questioned "Is all you care about; Sasuke?" if anything bother him beyond the point on insanity was Sakura thinking of noting more than Sasuke. Sure, Sasuke was upset over Kai but as was he. After all he knew her first he knew her better, personality wise even he had to admit Sasuke knew her tactics like that back of his hand, and she was _his_ best friend. Even thought threw that past couple days Sasuke had gotten to know Kai really well, as she him, and they had gotten close; he Naruto Uzumaki loved her and she knew it, the fact that he wasn't _in-love _with her didn't change anything, and Sasuke, Sasuke wasn't even sure of what he felt any longer.

Before opening her eyes Kai took a moment to acknowledge the discomfort she felt in her throat and an overall feeling of confusion and just in general pain throughout her body. She opened her eyes only to see blurred distortions of everything around her; she gasps realizing that her vision was worse off than what it already was. Yeah, she didn't have 20 20 vision before, not even close, but now she couldn't even see what was in front of her. Which was a lot worse than not being able to clearly see what was seven feet in front of her. "They said it would get better with in the next couple days" he said after a sigh of relief. "S-Sas" Kai attempted, bringing her hand up to her throat. It still felt swollen but numb at the same time, though it really wasn't swollen that had been brought down with ice which caused the numbness. The little slit had been stitched and with the aid on respiration she was doing much better than before. "Sasuke?" he questioned for her "Yeah it's me; the only" even in such a time he would not dismount his high horse.

She turned to look at him; his dark hair turned into a black blur underneath a pale blur which made up his face. She was so dumbfounded and confused, she didn't remember anything nothing at all besides the morning when she and Naruto were dragged out to make it on time for the mission. The room it was so white, an obnoxious white, it made her feel even more confused. So many thought ran wild through her mind about anything and everything. Yet, none of them seamed to be related to the task at hand; where was she? And why was she there? For some reason the fact that Sasuke was there made it all okay, nothing could go wrong anymore; because he was there.

"No he isn't all I care about, have you see how he looks?" taken aback by Naruto's random, and frankly rude, question she sat in an almost defensive position. "There you go again how he looks interprets how he's feeling" he rose from the table "Has it occurred to you how I'm feeling she's all I had for a long time and I almost lost her… How do you think I feel?" He swiftly took a sharp turn taking a moment to look back "I'll be at the hospital" there was no way he was going to spent the rest of the evening sitting with Sakura talking about how she felt Sasuke felt. He had his own feelings to take care of and if anything had come out of the whole dilemma with Kai was; that he needed to spend as much time as possible with her because things weren't definite with anyone.

Sakura sat at the empty table by her self she had paid the check but she knew that if she went to back to the hospital she would only be interrupting some sort of supper we-have-no-parents-bond type of thing. She had to admit to herself she was the odd one out, she had parents, she had friends, she had it all. Suddenly every little problem that she had seamed even smaller if not nothing next to Naruto's, Kai's and Sasuke's problems. Slowly she raised form her chair making sure to push it in afterwards. As much as she didn't want to go back to the hospital she had to go somewhere, besides Naruto had the keys to the apartments they were given.

Naruto peeked his head through the door before entering; he didn't want to interrupt anything. "No, we left Konaha yesterday morning" Sasuke was looking down at Kai with a semi-frustrated look on his face all the while Kai was staring up at him with the most confused look ever. "What's today?" she asked in a very low calm voice "Today is the day after we left Konaha" Sasuke's frustration only seamed to be getting worse but the determination was there, he would not stop until Kai was fully understanding of what day it was and when they had left. "It's not going to work, wasn't extreme confusion one of the symptoms" Naruto stepped through the door giving _both_ his friends a warm smile. "She'll get it down" nothing was stopping him now. A heart worming feeling of understanding, comfort, and care filled the room at that moment and place there was no better place to be. "Naruto!" Kai tried to exclaim only coming out as nothing more than a low excited whisper. "The one and only" he smiled once more sitting on the chair to Kai's left. "Where have you been?" she questioned not to eagerly "I was at-" "Don't even get her started" Sasuke jumped in.

Sakura took as long as she could, procrastinating going back to the hospital; she walked around the little quiet town. Stopped at every little store she could find and browsed until she practically had the whole inventory memorized. "Ahhh" she deeply sighed, it was late the sun had set and it was starting to get chilly. She had to do it, like it or not, she had to go back. Her steps where heavy and dragged her back slouched her posture couldn't not have said 'No I don't want to go back there' any more than it already did.

She was there, the white empty halls were unmistakable, and the reek of disinfectant was all too familiar to her. The room was approaching; slowly but surely. She didn't know why but she just had an extremely strong feeling that she shouldn't go back that she was going to interrupt something that wasn't suppose to be interrupted. Feelings set aside she really had no option but to go back, there was truly nothing that important that could be happening between Kai, Sasuke and Naruto.

Stepping through the door she saw noting out of the ordinary; Kai was sleeping as was Naruto, all know that they don't need an excuse to sleep, and Sasuke. He sat, still, on the chair to Kai's right, peaceful; he looked down at her his eyes half closed. Sakura dear not make a noise to disrupt him "Sakura" his voice was low and tired. "I didn't mean to bother you" she came closer to him sneaking a peek at Kai and Naruto. "How is she doing?" after the 'lecture' Naruto had given her on only caring about Sasuke she figured she might as well ask. "She's been better" in all honestly in the time that Sakura was gone Kai's delirium and confusion had only gotten worse and she had upchucked at least two times there after. "Delayed symptoms?" she half-asked half-said, being the medic that she was she of course would know of such things. Sasuke nodded his head reaching for something in his pocket "You must be tired" he pulled out the keys. Extending his arm to hand her the keys he said "Here, I'm spending the night here" a quick glace at Naruto "I guess he is too." Sakura took the keys from his hand taking one last look around the room before leaving. "Okay, I'll see you tomorrow" she turned silently hoping that he would plead for her to stay or that he would announce all of a sudden that he was coming with her, but she knew that wasn't going to happen; she could dream. "Oh and Sakura" she quickly turned could her dreams be coming true "We're leaving tomorrow seven sharp, don't be late."

"We wouldn't recommend that she leave when she is in this condition" the medic in a white suit plead as he looked over Kai. She was standing, leaning on Naruto for support; her completion had a slight green ting to it along with some minor bags under her eyes. Her body slouched against Naruto's her exhaustion was evident and the expression on her face read that she was not feeling good in any shape, way or form. "Is she in conditions to walk?" Sasuke stared at him not backing off "Well yes but-" "Then we are going" his voice was clam and collected except his impatiens to go was beyond evident. "I'm sure her father would like to see her" Sasuke stepped back taking Kai's arm and giving Naruto a look that clearly read 'I brought her here I'm taking her back' surely Naruto peacefully backed off. He knew not to get in Sasuke's was especially recently when it came to Kai. At that point he didn't really care who took her home as long as she made it home.

"We're going home Kai, do you need anything before we go?" Naruto asked her approaching her one more time before getting the stare form Sasuke. "Water" she muttered pulling her eyes away from the ground and bringing up to meet Naruto's. Immediately he noticed that they were no longer a simple honey brown for they had a milky layer to them. With out a response he reached over for a glass of water that was set on the side table "Here" she slowly drank it with precaution not to spill any. Sasuke looked to make sure she was done before announcing "We're leaving." Shortly after his statement Sakura ran through the door "Sorry I-" "We were just leaving" repeated Sasuke tightening his hold on Kai's arm. He nodded to the medic before stepping through the door of the room not long from then stepping out of the doors of the hospital.


	11. Talk To Me

CHAPTER 11

-Talk To Me-

"I really didn't mean to be late Sasuke I'm sorry-" her rambling was short lived "You don't have to keep apologizing- just keep quiet." Sasuke had also had a rough day and his night wasn't as peaceful as it appeared. He couldn't bring himself to get a full nights sleep the fear that Kai would ask for water, or something else, and he wouldn't be awake to hand it to her haunted him. Usually he wasn't a kind caring young man, more of a cold hearted uncaring one, but the thought that it might have been his fault haunted over him. Kai had pushed him out of the way. He had changed completely; something about Kai was getting to him and he wasn't sure if it was just the guilt.

A sharp acute feeling struck her in the side causing her to fold over in pain knocking Sasuke off balance. He fumbled a few steps backs, releasing Kai's hand, before regaining balance and practically running the few steps of distance between him and her. "Kai?" he sternly asked not even stating his question completely rushing to get a response. "Is she okay?" Naruto quickly followed assuming Sasuke would know. "What happened Sasuke?" Sakura asked Sasuke. He never answered their questions but simply stud over Kai looking down on her. "It hurts" she managed to gasp out. Sakura and Naruto kneeled besides her stroking her hair and whispering reassuring things like; "It's ok" and "I'm here Kai." "She'll get over it" Sasuke reached down pulled her up by the waist, causing her to somewhat scream in more pain, threw her arm over his shoulder and continued walking despite her moans of pain.

The one-eighty he had done from his cold self to the caring person guilt ridden one he was at the hospital turned again completing the three-sixty and brining him back to his 'careless' self. All this because he felt he was getting too attached by caring for Kai. He admitted to himself that he was part of the cause for why she was now in such bad conditions but it was ultimately her choice. But for still having part in the whole thing _he_ was going to take her back home if it was the last thing he did.

Naruto and Sakura stared at each other before deciding to get up and follow Sasuke. "Is it weird that he's not acting nice anymore or is it weird that I think its weird that he is no longer nice?" confusingly whispered Naruto to Sakura as they stayed a couple steps behind Sasuke and Kai. "I don't know" Sakura replied staring forward at the ever changing Sasuke. In front of her was Kai dragging her feet, her limbs limp, her head down, and constant complaining of pain. Sasuke, Sasuke just held tight to Kai and dragged her along. Naruto much like Sakura just looking on not being able to do much.

"Just a minute Sasuke? It hurts" "No" "W-Why?" "It saves time" "It hurts" Sasuke's and Kai's conversation continued. He just wanted her to be home and everything to be back to the way that it was before, before they came on this mission. He continued on walk constantly hearing her mumbles of; "Sasuke please" and "It hurts". He really did want to stop and let her rest but something with in him was telling him not to, not to stop and keep going.

It wasn't late around ten thirty when Sasuke finally decided to stop and take a break. With out a warning he came to a sudden stop and gently allowed Kai to sit herself on the floor. "Five minutes that's it" he announced taking off in the opposite direction. Kai watched as he trailed off getting smaller and smaller as he went. "Kai?" she heard from behind her "Do you need anything?" it was Naruto. He came in front of her observing her physic with interest to note any change. "Rest" she whispered lowering her head and finally stretching out on the ground. "That's probably not a good idea, the ground is very filthy and your wounds are still fresh" Sakura barged in looking down at Kai with a slight ting of disgust on her face. There was no reply from Kai she simply kept her eyes closed and obtained the rest that she needed. Sakura looked over at Naruto hoping for a returned look of 'I agree with you' but he didn't lift his gaze from Kai.

"I wish it was me instead of her. I think I could have handled it better and besides she's no bull we all know that no matter how tough and strong she appears to be it doesn't take much to knock her down." Naruto rubbed his face in frustration, it was getting to him, that he could do nothing about the situation that was currently at hand. "We're all doing everything we can to make it easy on her…there is just no way around that it happened to her" Sakura joined Naruto and took a seat as well. "But out of all of us it had to be her" he pointed to Kai; she was paler than ever with dark circles under her eyes. "It wasn't your fault Naruto" "How do you know that? I could have done something to prevent this. Now look at her!" he demanded that frustration growing with in him. "She can handle it, she wouldn't be a Shinobi other wise" Sasuke appeared out of the blue also sporting some lighter dark circles under his eyes and the paleness, but that was normal.

Sasuke came kneeled down and stretched out his arms to pick up Kai when Naruto's arm came across his. "I can take her" Naruto picked her up in his arms ignoring the deadly glare that was coming from Sasuke. "I brought her I'm taking her back" Sasuke remained calm stating the reasons why he should take her. "I can help Sasuke you're not the only one that wants to see that she is safe." Naruto's voice had raised not a significant amount but enough to set Sasuke off, not that he needed much with the sleepless conditions he was in. "Naruto hand her over before things start getting out of hand because they will" he stepped closer to Naruto making his hands into fists at his sides. "No" Naruto simply replied. Sasuke's eyes turned from a mysterious black to a vibrant red as the Sharingun appeared. "Naru-" he began in an angered voice only to be cut off by Kai "Sasuke, you need rest too" the Sharingun disappeared upon hearing her voice. "I don't need it" he replied trying to collect himself once more. She knew him and she knew him well so she spoke to Naruto "Naruto" she began "…don't push him" she shook her head in his arms. Naruto could feel the warmth that was radiating off of her and he had to be the bigger person for her sake, she wasn't getting any better and delaying their return to Konaha wasn't going to help. He forcefully extended his arms handing Kai over to Sasuke who egotistically took her in. "We better hurry" Naruto began walking in front of Sasuke not really caring what he had to say about it, he had Kai what else did he want.

Sakura watched as Sasuke, the Sasuke she had loved for so many years, argued with Naruto over who was going to take Kai back to the village. It was completely clear now she had to stop making circles around it and not wanting to see it; it was there in front of her face she could deny it no longer. Sasuke didn't like her… he wanted Kai. While the arguing continued she processed in her mind what a fool she had been to believe that Sasuke would ever want her, he was an Uchiha and he would settle for nothing less than the best and the best was there in his hands; Kai. Her eyes began to fill with tears at the brick of falling out and causing a scene. She wouldn't do it, she wasn't going to let him see what he had done to her not today not tomorrow not ever, he would never know exactly what she felt for him. "We better hurry" she heard Naruto say and watched as he sped off Sasuke shortly behind. Suddenly she felt an overwhelming feeling of rage and hatred towards both Kai, for taking Sasuke from her, and Sasuke, for not wanting her.

Kai rested her head against Sasuke's chest the overpowering feeling of tiredness and weakness hit her hard and she needed rest. Its not like she could think or anything her head was cloudy and she didn't really have the energy or desire to think and process everything that happened besides she really didn't feel the need to, once she got better she figured one of her team mates would tell her what happened, exactly.

Naruto stomped furiously ahead of everyone he was mad and there was no way of hiding it. He did not understand why Sasuke was so hung up on being the _only one_ that was taking Kai back to Konaha. It was clear that he too wanted to make sure that she was safe and got home safely but for some absurd reason running through Sasuke's head he couldn't. Actually thinking about it Naruto felt that he had enough of Sasuke over the years; his strange and cold way of going about doing things and not caring much for the rest of his team…. But it all had changed, somewhat, it had all began when Kai arrived. They weren't big changes but small subtle ones that were hard to pick up on, now however they were noticeable. Really noticeable especially towards Kai, she changed him.


End file.
